After a gap of seven years, the Maharashtra Directorate of National Cadet Corps (NCC) won the prestigious Prime Ministers Banner at the just-concluded Republic Day Camp (RDC), officials said here on Friday.Cadets from 17 NCC Directorates across states took part in the month-long RDC this year, in which Maharashtra bagged the PM's Banner for the first time since 2014.The state had sent a contingent of 57 cadets, both girls and boys, from various districts for the RDC 2022.Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented the PM Banner to Major General Y.P. Khanduri, Additional Director-General, NCC Directorate Maharashtra, with Senior Under Officer Siddhesh Jadhav as the Banner Bearer and Cadet Captain Nikita Khot as the Trophy Bearer."Your efforts and resolve and the fulfilment of those resolutions will be the achievement and success of India," said Modi, noting the young profile of the cadets, mostly born in the current century.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray complimented the Maharashtra NCC Directorate for the honour and said the "state's flag has fluttered again in Delhi".In his address, Moid added that no power in the world can stop the country whose youth start moving ahead with the thinking of nation first, and India's success in the playfield and the startup ecosphere clearly exemplify this.The PM also elaborated on the measures taken to open the doors of the defence establishments for girls, and said that the presence of a large number of female cadets is a symbol of the ‘changing attitude of the nation'."The country needs your contribution and there are ample opportunities for that," Modi said.The month-long RDC comprised various competitions like drill, marching on Rajpath, guard of honour to PM, PM's rally line layout, flag area briefing and cultural events in which the Maharashtra contingent performed consistently well.Brig R.K. Gaikwad, Commander, NCC Group Pune, complimented the contingent that was led by Lt. Col. Anirudh Singh, along with Maj. Arusha Shete and SO Manoj Phirange for the superior performance at the RDC.