Chandigarh, Feb 16 (IANS) It is an academy with a difference. The sprawling 10-acre Minerva Academy campus near here has a singular focus - to train young men and women to be part of the military.
With a track record of contributing over 35,000 officers to the army, Indian Air Force (IAF) and the navy, the Minerva Academy, set up in 1955 by J. Deol and her husband Lt. Col. I.S. Deol continues to be the most successful nursery for youths aspiring to become officers in the defence forces.
With legendary Param Vir Chakra (PVC) awardees, Kargil War hero Captain Vikram Batra and Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon, the first and only PVC awardee from the IAF, having been Minervans, the academy surely feels proud that some of the best known heroes of India have been trained here.
"Cadets from Minerva have achieved more (battle) honours than any regiment of the army," Ranjit Bajaj, the chief operating officer of the academy and a maternal grandson of founder Col. Deol, told IANS at its campus about 15 km from Chandigarh.
Former army chief and later Arunachal Pradesh Governor General J.J. Singh had also trained at Minerva. Minerva's roll of honour includes several other top-ranking officers in all three services.
Decorated Captain A.S. Cheema, who summitted Mt. Everest, has also been a student at Minerva.
"Our students have gone on to hold over 1,000 top positions in the Indian armed forces. Every fourth officer in the armed forces has been a student of Minerva. About 10 percent of our students are now girls who wish to join the armed forces," Bajaj told IANS.
The academy specialises in training youth for the Services Selection Board (SSB), the first step towards entry into the armed forces. The 10-day training, spread over 100 hours, includes group tasks, physical obstacles, group discussions, interviews, public speaking and more.
So stringent and effective is the training methodology that even toilets, bathroom curtains and hostel walls carry information about the armed forces -- so that students utilise every minute of their time at Minerva.
The faculty comprises former officers from defence forces who have been part of the SSBs and professionals. Among the popular faculty members over the years has been 'Mani Sir' (real name K. Vasudeva Panicker) who has been around for nearly 35 years. Another faculty member, Wing Commander S.P. Oberoi, 85, has been around for over three decades.
At a recent event to mark 60 years of the academy, Vishal Batra, younger twin of PVC awardee Captain Vikram Batra, fondly remembered how both brothers from the hill town of Palampur in Himachal Pradesh learnt their first lessons for a career in the army at Minerva in 1996.
"Vikram and I used to go to a neighbour's house in Palampur, as we did not have a TV, to watch the serial 'Param Vir Chakra'. I never imagined that one day my brother would win the PVC and become so famous," said Vishal Batra, who was rejected twice by the SSB and now has a corporate job.
The academy, named after the Roman Goddess of War and Wisdom, was originally founded by J. Deol in 1955 at Shimla. It was briefly shifted to Jalandhar before moving to Chandigarh and later to its present location near Chandigarh. Col. Deol, who was commissioned into the British Indian Army in mid-1940s, took premature retirement to be part of Minerva.
Work-life balance deteriorated in Corona: one-third of people worked more than 48 hours every week, 20% worked less than 35 hours
9 in the morning to 5 in the evening ie 8 hours of work is considered normal, but it is not so for about a third of the world's working population. This information has come out from a report by the
Bigg Boss 19: 'Baklava' is just an excuse Is this the reason why Tanya Mittal visits Dubai?
'You can love her, you can hate her, but you can't ignore her...', this is the condition of Tanya Mittal in Salman Khan's show Bigg Boss 19. Tanya Mittal, one of the most talked about contestants of
China commits cruelty for speaking against the government: political prisoners-activists are sent to hospitals for mental patients, and the staff tortures
A human rights group has claimed that China is punishing political prisoners and activists in psychiatric hospitals. Here they are tortured. China was accused that healthcare workers there were
Heavy devastation due to floods and landslides in Brazil: 30 days of rain within 3 hours, so far 94 deaths; 400 homeless
Floods and landslides have wreaked havoc in the city of Petropolis in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Due to this, 94 people have died so far. Rio de Janeiro Governor Claudio Castro said the
Rajasthan: Rajasthan constable recruitment exam paper also leaked after REET, exam canceled
In Rajasthan, the matter of reet paper leak has not cooled down yet that another paper leaked. The second shift paper for the Rajasthan constable recruitment exam on May 14 was also leaked. The exam
25 lakh new voters in Jammu and Kashmir: Army personnel and migrants will cast their votes, Abdullah said – BJP is importing votes for victory
After the abrogation of Article 370, elections can be held in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time in November-December. The ground for dispute is also ready before the election. For the first time,
Why fire in Uttarakhand's forests? Several hectares of forest wealth destroyed
The forest fires in Uttarakhand are now becoming uncontrollable. The government is taking several important steps to control the fire, but the name of stopping forest fires across the state is not
Radhe Movie Review: Salman completes Eid's commitment; Prabhudheva completes every formula of Masala film
Movie Review: Radhey: Your Most Wanted Bhai
Trade unions, employees' unions staged a demonstration
On Friday, protests were held in all departments against the call of the central trade unions and workers' unions to abolish labor laws, privatize government departments, prohibit DAALTC and new
Junior NTR Birthday: Junior NTR lives the life of kings, RRR star's net worth will blow your senses
Actor Jr NTR, who made a splash with the recent film RRR, is celebrating his birthday on Friday. Jr NTR belongs to a well-known and powerful political family in the South. He is the grandson of
