Panaji: Deputy Chairman of the Goa Planning Board and former deputy chief minister, Dr. Wilfred de Souza yesterday said that the National Cadet Corps (NCC) teaches unity and discipline, which helps a student rise up to a level higher than his competitors.

Dr. de Souza was speaking at the "The Navhind Times Ex-NCC Achiever Cadet Awards" ceremony organized by the Ex-NCC Cadets Association (Goa) on the occasion of its 7th anniversary at the Surendra Timblo Hall of the Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industries here.

Speaking further, Dr. de Souza, who himself was a cadet at the University Cadet Corps, now NCC, narrated his experiences as a cadet.

He said, "It is a challenging experience to live in tents and participate in long route marches."

While complementing the recipients of the awards, he said, "Many are called, but few are chosen for excellence".

He expressed his happiness at the initiative for instituting such awards by the Ex-NCC Cadets Association with the help of the Navhind group and complimented the office bearers of the Ex-NCC Cadets Association and Pallavi Dhempo for the same.

Director of Dhempo Group of Companies, Pallavi Dhempo said that she was happy to be associated with these awards and promised to render her support.

"Goans should come forward and compete at the Competitive exams including Civil Services and the Defence services", she urged the Ex-NCC Cadets Association.

Among the award winners, MP (Lok Sabha), Mr. Francisco Sardinha could not attend the function as he is currently attending a Parliamentary Committee meeting at Kolkata.

Also, Ashtush Teli Pednekar, IAS Collector (Dholpur) could not attend the ceremony as there has been a breach in bund in his jurisdiction and he is busy evacuating people to safer places and supervising rescue operations there. His award was received by his father, A. K. Teli.

Police Inspector Nilesh Rane has been posted for Law and Order duties at Margao and therefore was absent from the function. His father, Suresh Rane, received the award on his behalf.

The awards and commendation certificates were presented by Dr. Wilfred de Souza to Captain Prasad Pascal D'Silva Indian Army (Corps of Signals); Superintendent of Police (Traffic), Arvind K. Gauns; Chairman, Goa Education Development Corporation, M. K. Shaikh; Arjuna Awardee & International Footballer, Bhramanand Shankwalkar; High Court advocate practicing in Mumbai, Prakash Naik; EX-ANO and writer, Dr. Edward D'Lima; PRO, Dhempo Group of Companies, Sunil Prabhudessai; Magician, D. Satish and Lecturer Government College, Celly Quadros Coutinho.

John Aguiar in his welcome address highlighted the activities of the association. A one minute silence was also observed in the memory of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw at the beginning of the ceremony.

Prominent among those present at the occasion included Commander Utpal Dutt, Commanding Officer of the 1 Goa Naval Unit NCC, Major Venugopal Nair, Secretary, Department of Sainik Welfare, Dy. S.P. Shri Jaiprakash Nagvekar, Police Inspector Bhanudas Dessai, Navin Acharya, Suresh Naik Gaonkar, Sadika Buddahet, Savio Amaral and Dr. Pramod Yadav.

By - Sanjay Borkar

Sanjay Borkar is a freelance journalist with the National Network of Education (NNE). He can be contacted at Goajournalist@rediffmail.com.