Pune: 31 Religious Teachers Commissioned Into Indian Army
Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 13th April 2021: A batch of 31 religious teachers (RT) in the rank of Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO) joined the Indian Army today.
A Passing Out Parade was conducted at the Institute of National Integration (INI), located on the campus of the College of Military Engineering (CME) in Dapodi, Pune.
Brigadier Hardeep Singh Dhodi, Commandant of Institute, reviewed the parade and awarded General Officer Commanding in Chief, Army Training Command and INI Commandant’s Silver Medal to Naib Subedar Puneet Bhargav of Raj Rif Regimental Centre and Gold Medal to Naib Subedar Gurnarender Singh of BEG & Centre Khadki, respectively who distinguished themselves in respective facets of intense training.
The Commandant congratulated the newly commissioned JCOs and their parents, for successful completion of training incorporating subjects related to National Integration, Behaviour & Social Science including Spiritualism, Yoga, Psychological Counselling and Stress Management. The Religious Teachers passing out from INI are ready to perform assigned duties of ‘Dharam Yodha’ as also shoulder additional responsibilities of a Psychological Counselor and Mental Health Mentor for troops deployed across varied and harsh terrains along Northern and Eastern Borders.
The Religious Teachers in the Indian Army play a prominent role in building up Morale, Motivation amongst troops and their families, to serve as a catalyst toward Unit Cohesion, thus contributing to Battle Winning Ethos prevailing in units. Their primary role is to instil unity and create an ethos of secularism in the Armed Force.
The INI is a true emissary of the Indian Army stated goal of ‘Nation Building’ through ‘National Integration’ as summarized by INI’s logo ‘Unity and Diversity’. The INI was an outcome of ideas between the Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff in 1980, as a pilot project of giving depth to cohesion and interfaith harmony which prevails in the Indian Army.
