Participation of girls on rise in NCC, says DG
New Delhi (PTI): Participation of girl cadets in the National Cadet Corps (NCC) has more than doubled in the last one decade, DG NCC Lieutenant General Gurbirpal Singh said on Friday.
As NCC cadets from all over the country gathered in the national capital for the annual Republic Day camp, the DG NCC gave an overview of the activities undertaken by the cadets across the country, including in the Puneet Sagar Abhiyan under which more than 200 tonnes of plastic waste has been collected from different water bodies.
"The participation of girl cadets in the NCC is increasing every year," the DG NCC said.
Lt Gen Singh said the ratio of women in the NCC was around 13 per cent in 2010, which has gone up to around 35 per cent this year.
"Some states have a higher ratio of women cadets. States like Delhi, Kerala, and north eastern states have higher numbers of girls, with some states having almost 50 per cent girl cadets," he said.
Talking about the future plans of the NCC, Lt Gen Singh said training is being revamped and use of simulators for training is being increased.
At present the NCC is using 98 firing simulators, 71 rowing simulators, and 62 flying simulators.
"At all places we have facility of simulators," he said.
NCC's Republic Day camp in the national capital this year is being attended by 2,155 cadets from across the country, including 710 girls. It includes 114 cadets from Jammu and Kashmir and 120 cadets from the North-Eastern Region.
The camp will be formally inaugurated by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday.
The NCC is the youth wing of the Indian Armed Forces. It is open to school and college students on a voluntary basis as a Tri-Services Organisation.
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From J&K battlefield to Paralympics bronze: Sema's inspirational journey through hardships
Paris (PTI): On a quiet October day in 2002, a young soldier’s dreams were shattered in a heartbeat in the volatile terrain of Jammu and Kashmir’s Chowkibal.
An unexpected explosion ended the ambition of Havildar Hokato Hotozhe Sema to join the Special Forces.
That landmine blast during an anti-terrorist operation claimed his left leg below the knee, inflicting immense physical pain and mental trauma.
Sema's world went dark, or everyone thought so.
But for Sema, it was the beginning of an extraordinary journey of resilience, courage, and fierce determination to rebuild life -- a process he went through at the Army Paralympic Node, BEG Centre in Pune.
Twenty-two years later, at the swank State de France, the 40-year-old Indian shot-putter came up with his career-best throw of 14.65 metres to secure a bronze medal in the men's F57 category at the Paralympics to swell the country's medal haul to 27 (six gold, nine silver and 12 bronze).
His rise in para-athletics has been nothing short of inspiring.
He quickly distinguished himself with his sheer willpower in the F57 category, which includes athletes with limb deficiencies and impaired muscle power.
Sema was encouraged by senior army officials at the Pune-based Artificial Limb Centre to take up shot put after seeing his fitness as he embraced the sport in 2016 at the age of 32.
That year, he travelled to Jaipur to compete in the National Para Athletics Championships. A silver at the Morocco Grand Prix in 2022 was followed by a bronze medal at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou.
He narrowly missed a medal at the 2024 World Championships, finishing fourth. But Sema's determination never wavered.
The defining moment came during his Paralympics debut, when he battled against a fiercely competitive field.
Strapped to a throwing chair, each of his six throws was a manifestation of grit and physical strength.
He touched the 14m mark on his second throw and then improved further with a heave of 14.40m.
Sema achieved his best throw in his fourth attempt, bettering his personal best to 14.49m en route to the bronze.
Iran's Yasin Khosravi, the 31-year-old two-time para world champion, clinched the top spot with a Paralympic record of 15.96m, while Brazil's Thiago Dos Santos took the silver (15.06m).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Sema's win a "proud moment" for the nation while hailing his incredible strength and determination.
"A proud moment for our nation as Hokato Hotozhe Sema brings home the Bronze medal in Men’s Shot Put F57! His incredible strength and determination are exceptional. Congratulations to him. Best wishes for the endeavours ahead," PM Modi wrote on X.
Sema has been supported by the Khelo India initiative and his training, boarding, and lodging were taken care of by the National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) scheme.
