All you want to know about Indian Military Academy (IMA)

“The Honour, Safety and Welfare Of Your Country Come First, Always and Every Time, The Honour, Welfare and Comfort Of The Men You Command Comes Next, Your Own Ease, Comfort and Safety Comes At Last, Always and Every Time.”

Sound good right? This is the credo of Indian Military Academy. Indian Military Academy is Asia’s largest known Military Academy; it was established in the year 1932 by Britishers at Dehradun.

• The main reason for establishing this Academy in India by the Britishers was that two-thirds of the British Indian Army comprised of Indian ranks. In order to train the Officers the British authorities send them to Sandhurst Military College at Camberley, thus there was a need of a similar Academy that could serve the purpose of Sandhurst Military College in India, therefore during the Indian National Congress session of 1917, the need of the Military Academy was proposed and later an imperial academy came to life in 1932 under the chairmanship of Field Marshal Sir Philip Chetwode, who was the Commander-in-Chief of The British Indian Army.
   

• The First course of the Academy was started in 1932 under Brig LP Collins as the First Commandant of the Academy. A very fascinating thing about this course was that, the first course on its enrollment had Sam Manekshaw, Smith Dun and Mohammad Musa – all of whom later became the Chiefs of the Armies of their respective Countries, India, Burma and Pakistan.
   

• The Academy was running quite well, gifting trained officers to the Country, but there was havoc on 15 August 1947, that was, at the time of portioning the properties of the Academy was also equally divided between India and Pakistan. The Gentlemen Cadets, who belong to the region that became Pakistan and those who opted to go to Pakistan, left the Academy at the night of 14 October 1947 and giving birth to the fact that at least the first two generation of the Pakistani Army were the Product of the Indian Military Academy.
   

• It’s been 86 years since the Academy came to its existence, and the Academy is renowned for its excellence, and the quality product it gifts for the Honour, Safety and Welfare of its Country and Countrymen, whether it’s the officers who displayed their bravery against the war with Pakistan, China, Kargil war and the other operations like the recent surgical strikes
   

• Earlier the Academy gives training for 6 months of time, but afterwards this training period was increased to 1 year and now to 1.5 years, this golden time at the Academy differs you from other people by transforming you into a new avatar of smart Gentlemen Cadets who live, love and die for their countries. Academy also welcome foreign candidates from Bhutan, Nepal, Sri-Lanka, Afghanistan and Myanmar to be a part of the institution that makes it different from other military institutions.  
   

• Being an aspirant preparing for Indian Army, one would be really delighted to join this imperial academy and for being a part of the same academy, An Army aspirant could join the academy by appearing into Union Public Service Commission’s conducted Combined Defence Services Exam and National Defence Academy (3 years in NDA Khadakvasla, 1 year in IMA Dehradun), twice in a year which proves to be a handsome opportunity for being a part of the Academy along with that techies (B.Tech graduates) could be a part of the Indian Military Academy by some technical entries like TGC entry.
   

• The Academy not only gives you military training but also shapes you as an allrounder by providing exposure to activities like sports, horseriding, photography, gymming, singing, painting and many other things. Thus making the institution an abode to groom your personality at its best and making men out of boys.
   
   

CODE OF WARRIOR:

 I am a Warrior,
Fighting is my Dharma
 
I will train my Mind, Body and Spirit to fight.
I will excel in all devices and weapons of war present and future.
 
I will always protect the weak.
I will be truthful to bluntness.
 
I will be Humane, Cultured and Compassionate.
I will fight and embrace the consequences.
 
God give me the strength
that I ask you nothing.

It is the profession of arms that brought numerous individual to the academy every year and the academy embolden its Gentlemen Cadets to uphold highest moral and ethical values and to honour the traditions and customs of the Army. The Academy also offers various awards during the passing out parade like Sword of Honor and Academy Medals to its GC’s based on their performances in the academy. In a nutshell, IMA habitat helps the Gentlemen Cadets to become a rounded personality.