Hamirpur boy bags IMA Sword of Honour

Dinesh Kanwar

Twentyone-year-old Arjun Thakur from Hamirpur was awarded the prestigious Sword of Honour at the passing-out parade of the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, on December 8 for being the best cadet of the academy. 

Arjun will now join the 6/8 Gorkha Rifles regiment with his first posting in Shillong.

Hailing from remotely located Hanoh village in Hamirpur district, Arjun, is the only son of teacher couple Yashveer Thakur (lecturer in English at Government Senior Secondary school, Badhani, in the district) and Sunita Thakur (a TGT, non-medical). He was inspired to join the Army by his grandfather Late Captain Jaisi Ram Thakur. 

Capt Jaisi Ram Thakur served in the Army’s One Dogra Regiment. Pertinently, Arjun is the only child of the couple. Arjun’s Grandmother Geeta Devi is, however, reluctant in sending their only child to the Army, but is equally happy on his achievement.

Talking to The Tribune Arjun said: “A number of things attracted me to join the Army, but most important was serving the nation and living the life of a soldier.” Arjun was a student of DAV School, Hamirpur, before he could secure admission to the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) at the age of 14 in Class VIII. Significantly, RIMC is an Inter Service Category ‘A’ establishment, administered through the Director General of Military Training, Army Headquarters. Originally called ‘The Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College’, it was inaugurated on March 13, 1922, by his Royal Highness, Prince Edward VIII, the Prince of Wales. It was named RIMC after independence in 1947. Arjun was the only student from the state that year to join the prestigious institution.

Apart from his academic excellence, Arjun has remained a sports enthusiast and an adventure lover. He has been awarded with gold medal at the IMA in boxing and was the member of IMA Hockey and Volleyball teams as well. Being too young to be parted from parents for rigorous training at RIMC, Arjun missed his parents, but his determination to achieve his goal never came in the way. 

“We missed him too, but also felt the transformation of our child into a hardcore Army officer and that was too encouraging for all of us,” said his father Yashveer Thakur. Proving his name, Arjun is one of the best shooters of the IMA, too! 

Describing the most memorable and tough moments during his training, Arjun said every moment spent in RIMC, NDA and IMA was memorable, as he learnt new things everyday and every instructor in these academies was par excellence. “They not only taught us discipline in life, but how to live life both in war and peace. The training comprised physical fights to weapon combats,” he said. He said weather it was insurgency or terrorist encounter, Indian Army officers are well-prepared to handle and win every situation.

He said: “The toughest part of the training was the completion of 70 to 80-km day and night run, which taught us to fight to survive in every situation including hardship of nature, wildlife and even enemies.”

Arjun was awarded the most coveted award of the IMA — Sword of Honour — by Lt General Devraj Anbu at IMA on December 8. His parents Yashveer Thakur and Sunita Thakur pinned stars on the uniform of their only son during the ceremony.

“It was the most prestigious moment of our life when we pinned stars on the uniform of our son. We have proudly sent our only child to serve the country,” the proud parents said.

"We missed him when he went to study, but also saw the transformation of our child into a hardcore Army officer and that was too encouraging for us. It was the most prestigious moment of our life when we pinned stars to the uniform of our son. We have proudly sent our only child to serve the country." — Yashveer Thakur and Sunita Thakur, Arjun’s parents 

"The toughest part of the training was the completion of 70 to 80-km day and night run, which taught us to fight to survive in every situation including hardship of nature, wildlife and even enemies." —Arjun Thakur, Awarded for being the best cadet of the IMA