Haryana CM to feature in NCC ad with Dhoni and Sania

Kurukshetra, Nov 18 (UNI) Along with two youth icons, M S Dhoni and Sainia Mirza, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda will feature in a promo for National Cadet Corps (NCC).

Top ranking cricketer Mahinder Singh Dhoni (Mahi) and tennis star Sania Mirza have been signed for an ad to popularise NCC amongst the youth of the nation. Former Kunjpurian cadet, who is now the Haryana Chief Minister will be seen alongside the two young icons in the ad of the NCC directorate.

Mr Hooda had been an NCC cadet in his school days in Sainik School, Kunjpura in Karnal district.

This was revealed by Col K B K Keshab, Group Commander, Ambala of the NCC Directorate of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh to UNI here yesterday evening.

Col Keshab was here to deliver his valedictory address to the NCC cadets, both of junior and senior wings, of the colleges of Kurukshetra and Kaithal districts at the end of the 10-day NCC training camp held in the community centre of Kurukshetra University. Col Balvir Singh, commander of the 10 Haryana NCC battalion presided over the function which was attended by 660 cadets and the officers beside the NCC ustads (JCOs).

Col Keshab said that the NCC directorate will start NCC wings in the high schools and senior secondary schools in villages so that the rural boys and girls could be made aware of the avenues of joining the army as officers and also junior commissioned officers after graduation.

Col Keshab said Haryana will soon have one battalion of girls NCC besides one unit each of naval and air force NCC wings. Haryana has at present 14,500 cadets on roll operative in 10 districts only, out of which 25 were inducted in the army as commissioned officer last year. Many airlines have offered services to the cadets and Reliance and Tata have also come forward for the intake, he added.

The NCC commander said the army recruitment cell shall fix one exclusive day for the recruitment of the NCC cadets to the army while the NCC ''C'' certificate holders shall have direct access to OTA, Chennai to enter the army as officers only if they get through the interview. Five per cent reservation has already been allotted to the NCC cadets in para-military forces.

He said a large number of scholarships had been instituted for the NCC cadets by the cadet welfare commission and Sahara Parivar in addition to the CM scholarship. A large number of MNCs are also taking in NCC cadets to promote national cause, Col Keshab added.

Col Keshab said now the thrust is on promotion of sports in the NCC with special focus on home turf games like hockey, football, volleyball, basketball and cross country race to convert the cadets into professional sports-stars, beside keeping them physically, mentally and financially in sound health.

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