Training to be Gentlemen

This story by me was given to me by Ritu Raj Mate a good friend who used to train the NCC cadets in adventure sport. So when he told me the background of what all these students are taught apart from adventure, I thought this angle to cover these students some of them who have never eaten in a spoon or worn a tie would be a great story for the paper. So I quickly contacted the Commandant of the NCC for Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh and requested him if I could be allowed into their camp to write a story, for which re readily obliged in December 2002.

Each year, 110 NCC cadets (65 boys and 35 girls) from Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh are groomed to be sent to various friendly countries as part of a youth exchange programme (YEP).
The journey for these young goodwill ambassadors from cadets to officers is a long one. But at the end of it, the cadets emerge perfectly well-mannered gentlemen, groomed a year ahead of their passing-out by senior officers of the 4 MP NCC Battalion of Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh.
The cadets are put through their paces under the watchful eyes of DG MP & Chattisgarh LT General Das Gupta, camp Commandant Col Gadkary, YEP in charge Col MP Patil and Lt Col Ajay Dubey. The cadets learn everything right down to tying their shoes laces and minding their manners at the dining table.
The training starts for the cadets with learning to correctly pronounce difficult English words, geography, history, economy, current political happenings, religion, capitals, customs, languages and currency values of the countries they would visit under the YEP, says Lt.Col Ajay Dubey.
Adds camp commandant Col Gadkary “We teach them basic manners, the culture of India, interview techniques and above all, the word “truthfulness”, to ensure the cadets act like true ambassador of the country.
The day begins very early for the cadets, who also prepare for the Republic Day parade. In the afternoon, selected cadets gather in a hall to refresh themselves about the YEP, says Lt.Col Dubey. Here a few former YEP fellows lecture them about their experiences.
Cadet Captain Rashmi Agwekar, who visited Vietnam in September last, says it proved a wonderful experience for her. She says she came back with a lot of knowledge of the country and a horde of friends from there.
These cadets not only learn for their personal growth but for the overall growth of their school and college they represent, because they go back to pass on these tips to their juniors too.