Indian Naval Academy Hosts ST 2025 Convocation Ceremony

31-May 2025...........

Dr. Jaitirth R. Joshi urged graduates to embrace innovation while upholding the rich traditions of the Navy, as 83 midshipmen and 5 international cadets were awarded engineering degrees.

On May 30, 2025, the Indian Naval Academy (INA) marked a proud milestone with the Spring Term 2025 Convocation Ceremony. The event witnessed 83 midshipmen receiving their B.Tech degrees after four demanding years of academic excellence, physical endurance, and naval discipline — a day of immense pride and celebration for their families, mentors, and the nation.

The convocation also honoured five international trainees from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Tanzania, reflecting the Indian Naval Academy’s expanding role in fostering global naval partnerships. Their participation showcased India’s ongoing commitment to defence diplomacy and maritime collaboration with friendly nations.

Gracing the occasion as Chief Guest was Dr. Jaitirth R. Joshi, Director General of BrahMos Aerospace and an acclaimed missile scientist. Since assuming leadership of BrahMos on December 1, 2024, Dr. Joshi has been instrumental in steering advancements in strategic systems like the LRSAM and MRSAM. In his inspiring address, he encouraged the graduating midshipmen to pursue innovation and technical mastery while remaining rooted in the Navy’s core values of integrity, service, and honour—essential qualities for the next generation of maritime leaders.

Accredited by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the Indian Naval Academy’s integrated BTech program is designed to balance academic excellence with specialized military and physical training. This rigorous curriculum ensures that graduates are not only technically proficient but also strategically prepared to meet the evolving challenges of modern naval warfare.

In his inspiring address, Dr. Jaiteerth R. Joshi underscored the growing synergy between India’s defence research initiatives and naval operations. Citing advancements like the upcoming Mark-II variant of the BRAHMOS missile, envisioned to achieve hypersonic speeds, he urged the graduating officers to stay ahead of emerging threats and embrace a culture of innovation and lifelong learning in service of the nation.

Held just months after the Autumn Term 2024 Passing Out Parade—where 239 cadets, including 8 women and 12 international trainees, were commissioned—the Spring Term 2025 Convocation reaffirmed the Indian Naval Academy’s pivotal role in preparing a future-ready naval force. These back-to-back milestones highlight INA’s enduring dedication to producing officers who are not only technologically proficient but also globally aware and mission-ready.

International cadets from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Tanzania fully embraced the INA experience—celebrating Indian festivals, learning Hindi, and fostering lasting friendships. Their enthusiastic participation underscored the Academy’s growing impact in advancing defence diplomacy and nurturing intercultural camaraderie.

By integrating age-old naval traditions, uncompromising discipline, and forward-looking innovation, the Spring Term 2025 Convocation cemented INA’s standing as a premier maritime training institution, committed to shaping officers equipped to lead in the evolving landscape of 21st-century naval warfare.

This term, cadets from the 107 A, 108 INA Course, 38 and 39 NOC (Extended), 40 NOC (Regular), and 41 NOC (Coast Guard) proudly graduated, marking a new chapter in their naval journey.

Honouring Excellence

As part of the longstanding tradition of the Passing Out Parade, top-performing cadets were felicitated for their exceptional achievements in academics, leadership, physical endurance, and overall merit, reflecting the high standards of training upheld at the Indian Naval Academy.

The following awards were presented:

President's Gold Medal for standing first in the overall order of merit in the 108 INA Course: Nakul Saxena
Chief of the Naval Staff Silver Medal for the second-highest merit in the 108 INA Course: Harsh Gupta
Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command Bronze Medal for third-highest merit in the 118 INA Course: Dhanveen Saini
Raksha Rajya Mantri Trophy for the Most Promising Midshipman of the 118 INA Course: Michael Florence
Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command Trophy for the trainee standing first in overall order of merit (Ex-NDA, 118 INA Course): Nitin S. Nair

For Naval Orientation Courses:

Chief of the Naval Staff Gold Medal for standing first in the overall order of merit in the 39th Naval Orientation Course (Extended): Rohit Pawar
Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command Silver Medal (39 NOC Extended): Dhruv Shashwat Sharma
Commander Indian Naval Academy Bronze Medal (39 NOC Extended): Commander Latha Reddy
Chief of the Naval Staff Gold Medal for training excellence in the 40th Naval Orientation Course (Regular): Cadet Rajneesh
Commander Indian Naval Academy Silver Medal (40 NOC Regular): Cadet Natasha
Director General Coast Guard Trophy for the Best Coast Guard Trainee in the 41st NOC (Coast Guard): Cadet Como Dravid
Champion Squadron Banner for Spring Term 2025: Cheetah Squadron, led by Squadron Cadet Captain Lucky Yadav