Odisha: Passing Out Parade of 5th batch of Agniveers held at INS Chilka

Khurdha (Odisha) [India], March 7 : As many as 2,966 trainees from the fifth batch of Agniveers passed out after completing their 16-week rigorous Naval training at INS Chilka on Friday.
The 2,966 trainees included 402 women Agniveers, 288 SSR (Med Asst), and 227 Naviks. The POP symbolised the completion of their initial training and marked the beginning of their careers in the Indian Navy.
This event highlighted the Navy's emphasis on creating a gender-neutral environment, aiming to transform these individuals into a combat-ready, credible, cohesive, and future-ready force.
This significant event, known as the Passing Out Parade (POP), was held in a unique post-sunset ceremony, marking the successful culmination of their training journey.
Vice Admiral V Srinivas PVSM, AVSM, NM, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Naval Command, reviewed the parade. CMDE B Deepak Aneel, Commanding Officer of INS Chilka, conducted the event.
The POP was attended by a distinguished group of veterans, including Sureddy Siva Kumar (ex-SPO), Sandeep Gupta (ex-POELP), Lohrii Besii (ex-POELP), and GS Kocher (ex-EMR 1), as well as eminent sports personality Eldhose Paul, CPO COM (TEL). Additionally, the event was witnessed by the proud family members of the passing-out trainees.
In his address, Vice Admiral V Srinivas congratulated the Agniveers on successfully completing the course, which demonstrated their hard work, discipline, and commitment.
He encouraged them to hone their skills, stay technologically aware, and embrace the Navy's core values--duty, Honour, and Courage. He also acknowledged the crucial role of Agniveers' parents in supporting their journey and emphasizing their contribution to the Nation.
The Chief Guest also took the opportunity to commend the efforts of Team Chilka for their unwavering commitment to transforming the trainees and living up to the motto of "udymen hi sidhynti kaaryaanni" (Through hard work, success is achieved).
The Chief Guest awarded several meritorious Agniveers with medals and trophies during the ceremony.
The Chief of the Naval Staff Rolling Trophy and Gold Medal for the Best Agniveer MR was awarded to Devraj Singh Rathore, AVR (MR), while Pramodh Singh, AVR (SSR), received the same honors in the SSR category. Mansa Gulivindhala, AVR (SSR), was awarded the prestigious Gen Bipin Rawat Rolling Trophy for Best Woman Agniveer in the overall order of merit.
Mohit Kumar, NVK (GD), received the Director General, Indian Coast Guard Rolling Trophy and Director General Gold Medal for the Best NVK (GD).
Earlier in the day, during the Valedictory function, Vice Admiral V Srinivas presented the Overall Championship Trophy to the Angre Division, while the Runners Up Trophy was awarded to the Eklavya Division.
During the ceremony, the 2/24 edition of Ankur, the bilingual trainees' magazine of INS Chilka, was also unveiled.
This momentous event at INS Chilka not only marked the end of a rigorous training period for the Agniveers but also set the stage for their future roles in the Indian Navy, ready to uphold the nation's honor with courage and determination.