Just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on his way out of the Red Fort after addressing the nation on its 76th Independence Day, in an impromptu move, he stopped his cavalcade in front of the Gyan Path — directly in front of the ramparts from where he had unfurled the tricolour — and got out of his car.
Here, 792 boys and girls of the National Cadet Corps had assembled, seated in the shape of the map of India. These cadets, dressed in the traditional attire of each of their states and UTs, had led the National Anthem after the Prime Minister concluded his address.
Passing the cadets on his way out of the Red Fort, Mr. Modi got off his car and took about 15 minutes to go around Gyan Path and meet and interact with as many of the cadets as possible. He started his interaction with cadets of the southern part of the country, including those from Tamil Nadu, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Kerala, and worked his way to those from West Bengal, Assam, Manipur, Ladakh, Punjab, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra and others.
At one point, the Prime Minister stopped to chat with the cadets who had arrived from Ladakh. He also managed to coax the cadets from Punjab to perform a small dance before him as he clapped along, before moving to the group from Gujarat, who performed a short garba.
The cadets later said that interacting with the Prime Minister inspired them to continue wanting to serve the nation. Sixteen-year-old Bhaironand Tiwari from Bihar’s Buxar said, “We felt so nice meeting him, it gave us inspiration to stick with our wishes to serve the country.”
Most cadets at the venue said that interacting with Mr. Modi, someone they had only seen on screens till then, made them feel special and privileged. They said they were encouraged by Mr. Modi’s call to the youth to contribute in the next 25 years of nation-building.
Praising the Agnipath scheme, 19-year-old Shree Shetty, a cadet from Karnataka, said, “In ten years, I see myself completing the Short Service Commission and starting my own business.” Ms. Shetty attended the ceremony for the first time.
While Priya Singh from Purulia said she wanted to join the Army and contribute to nation-building like freedom fighters did, cadet Stanzen Choral from Ladakh said whatever she ended up doing in life, she would make sure it was for the nation.
Sushri Bhawna Mohapatra, 20, said she received immense support from her mother when she told her that she wanted to join the NCC to work for the country.
“I come from a small town — Dhenkanal in Odisha. Women have to fight for opportunities… If you firmly believe in your country, then nothing can stop women from enrolling for such jobs,” she said, adding that the government has opened several opportunities for many like her.
The first NCC cadet from her family, Ms. Mohapatra’s family and neighbours were glued to the TV while the ceremony was on at the Red Fort.
