17-Year-Old NDA Cadet Dies After Collapsing During Morning PT in Pune
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Khadakwasla, 10th July 2026: A first-term cadet of the National Defence Academy (NDA) died following a sudden medical emergency during a routine physical training session at the Academy on Friday morning.
The deceased has been identified as Cadet Abhinav Bajpai (17), a native of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He had joined the National Defence Academy on June 24, 2026.
According to an official statement issued by the NDA and the Defence Public Relations Officer (PRO), Cadet Bajpai complained of uneasiness during the routine morning physical training session, which was the first official PT parade after he joined the Academy. He subsequently lost consciousness.
He was immediately evacuated to the Military Hospital, Khadakwasla, where doctors carried out intensive resuscitative efforts. However, despite sustained medical intervention, he could not be revived and was declared dead.
The NDA has ordered a Court of Inquiry to ascertain the facts and circumstances leading to the incident.
The Academy said the cadet’s next of kin and the police have been informed.
