Pune (Maharashtra) [India], October 3 : NCC cadets from across Pune district participated in cleanliness drives, social awareness campaigns and nation-building activities at the historic Shivneri Fort on Friday on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.
At the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the cadets paid tribute to the Maratha king and drew inspiration from his values of courage, discipline, leadership and commitment to the nation.
The activities also marked 12 years of the Swachh Bharat Mission, launched on October 2, 2014. The cadets conducted a cleanliness and awareness campaign at the fort and staged street plays highlighting issues including tuberculosis awareness, the Nasha Mukt Bharat campaign and responsible citizenship.
Addressing the cadets and NCC staff, Major General Vivek Tyagi, Additional Director General (ADG), NCC Maharashtra Directorate, appreciated their participation and called upon them to combine discipline, physical fitness and mental resilience with technological awareness and contemporary skills.
"The battlefield of the future is changing, and our youth must be prepared for it. Along with the timeless values of courage, discipline and leadership, our cadets must be tech-savvy and future-ready," Tyagi said.
He encouraged cadets to participate in the Directorate's newly introduced Cyber Defender courses and Drone Pilot training.
The ADG also said that Maharashtra NCC is planning a mega AI-orientation initiative, with an initial target of providing AI awareness and orientation to one lakh cadets.
During his visit, Tyagi, accompanied by the Pune Group Commander and Commanding Officer of 36 Maharashtra NCC Battalion, also visited educational institutions in remote and tribal areas of Junnar and interacted with cadets and faculty.
Prof (Dr.) Mahadev Waghmare, Principal of Sri Shiv Chhatrapati College, Junnar, appreciated the outreach and requested greater opportunities for cadets from remote areas to access advanced skilling and technical exposure.
Responding to the request, Tyagi said the Directorate's objective was to ensure that geography did not become a barrier to opportunities and that cadets from remote and tribal areas were integrated into Maharashtra NCC's emerging skilling and technology initiatives.
The Shivneri visit came a day after the ADG received the Director General NCC during his visit to Maharashtra and accompanied him to the Pune NCC Group Headquarters, where the functioning of the Group and cadet training was reviewed.
Issues related to the functioning of NCC units across Maharashtra, including civilian staffing requirements and infrastructure deficiencies, were also highlighted during the review, along with ongoing initiatives to modernise and strengthen cadet training.
"Maharashtra NCC is working towards creating young citizens who are not merely disciplined cadets, but change-makers and future leaders across domains," the ADG said.
"Shivneri gave Maharashtra the inspiration of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj; today, our NCC cadets are carrying that spirit forward through service to society. On Gandhi Jayanti, the best tribute is not merely remembrance, but action -- keeping our surroundings clean, serving society and preparing ourselves to build a stronger India," he added.
Tyagi also stressed that physical fitness and mental conditioning remain the foundation of achievement and urged cadets to develop themselves holistically as they prepare to take on leadership responsibilities in an increasingly technology-driven world.