National Cadet Corps (India), also known as NCC, started in our school in 1994. Kumari Kjr madam was the Associate NCC Officer in our school and she worked for almost 28 years in that capacity, and helped around 800 cadets to get A-Certification at school level. I'm proud to say that I'm one of them.
We had the opportunity to attend multiple camps. My parents allowed me to go, irrespective of my tender age or early years of puberty.
I had been to the NCC camps held in Chirala, Bapatla, Suryalanka and Secunderabad during my ninth standard. During the camp in Secunderabad in the then combined state of Andhra Pradesh, our Guntur junior battalion won first prize in mass drill. It was a wonderful moment and a heart-pouring achievement.
Adjusting to the conditions in the camps used to be very challenging. My fellow cadets from our school accompanied me in all camps.
Rajyalakshmi madam, who was our group commander for Guntur girls battalion, used to take care of all the girls during the camps. I'm very thankful to her for the way she took care of me as well. She used to consider and support me as one of the promising cadets to get selected for the Republic Day Parade - 1999. Unfortunately I couldn't get selected and that remained as the biggest disappointment from my school days.
Being an NCC cadet, I served for the Pulse Polio campaign in our village in the Polio booth for one day, and I earned 5 Rs. That was my first salary-like.
I don't have a single photo in NCC dress or from any of those camps. I do have few camp certificates and tons of beautiful memories spent with fellow cadets during the camps.
NCC indeed nurtured the leader in me at an early age, helped me find my confidence and composure. It's a great initiative by the Indian Government - Ministry of Defence. I'm thankful to everyone who supported me during my NCC journey.
