The Maharashtra Directorate NCC organized the All India Nau Sainik Camp (AINSC) at INS Shivaji, Lonavala, from 26th August to 5th September 2024. The camp brought together 600 cadets from 17 NCC directorates across India, providing cadets with a firsthand experience of naval life, besides providing a platform for participants to compete in a wide range of disciplines, including boat pulling, ship modelling, drill, whaler-boat rigging, semaphore, seamanship practicals, and small arms firing.
The camp focused on testing both the physical and mental resilience of the cadets through a variety of competitions, exercises, and workshops. These activities were designed to foster leadership skills, with cadets competing individually and in teams for the prestigious Best Directorate Trophy.
The camp was formally inaugurated on 26th August 2024, with Vice Admiral Gurcharan Singh, AVSM, NM, and Commandant of the National Defence Academy, serving as the Chief Guest. In his address, he motivated the cadets to uphold the ethos of “Nation First” and to compete with a spirit of camaraderie. He also interacted with cadets from the various participating directorates.
In addition to the competitions, cadets had the opportunity to visit the state-of-the-art marine engineering training facilities at INS Shivaji, a premier Indian Navy technical training institute. Cultural programs held during the camp added a vibrant dimension to the overall camp experience.
To qualify for AINSC, cadets had to clear various stages of Nau Sainik Camps at the group and directorate levels. The camp commenced with a medical test, followed by a mandatory swimming test for NCC Naval cadets, where they were required to swim 50 meters and float for 3 minutes.
Our institution, along with the 1 Goa Naval Unit, was represented by Cadet Captain H. Tribhuvan and Leading Cadet Vaibhav Bandodkar, both from the NCC Naval Wing. This marks the second consecutive year that two cadets from our institution have been selected for AINSC. Our cadets actively participated in drill, boat pulling, ship-modelling and semaphore.
