36 NDA Cadets Visit Maratha Light Infantry Centre in Belagavi, Go Rafting at Dandeli

Thirty-six cadets from the National Defence Academy (NDA) visited the Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre (MLIRC) in Belagavi from September 12 to 15, 2026, as part of a four-day programme that combined regimental exposure, leadership interaction and adventure training. The visit gave the cadets a close look at the heritage, traditions and training ethos of one of the Indian Army’s established regimental training centres.

The programme was designed to place the cadets in a setting that reflected the institutional environment of the Maratha Light Infantry while also allowing them to interact with personnel associated with the regiment. For cadets at the NDA, such visits are an important part of training because they connect academy instruction with the professional realities of military service.

A key feature of the visit was an interaction with the Officiating Commandant of the Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre. The session gave the cadets a chance to hear first-hand perspectives on military life, the traditions associated with the regiment and the duties and responsibilities that come with a career in the Armed Forces. It also served as a motivational component of the itinerary, exposing the cadets to institutional values that shape service in uniform.

The visit was not limited to formal engagement at the regimental centre. The cadets also undertook white-water rafting at Dandeli, adding an outdoor and physically demanding element to the programme. The activity required coordination, communication and collective response to changing river conditions, making it a useful exercise in teamwork and confidence-building for future military officers.

By including rafting alongside regimental exposure, the programme offered the cadets a broader learning experience. The outdoor activity complemented the institutional visit by placing the cadets in an unfamiliar environment where mutual trust and coordinated action were essential. Such experiences are considered relevant in military training because they reinforce camaraderie and the ability to function as part of a team.

The NDA is India’s tri-services pre-commissioning training institution, where cadets selected for the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force undergo joint training before moving on to their respective service-specific establishments. Visits to operational, training and regimental institutions form an important part of the wider exposure cadets receive during this phase.

For the 36 cadets who travelled to Belagavi, the programme offered direct exposure to the regimental environment of the Maratha Light Infantry and helped them connect their academy training with the traditions and experiences of serving soldiers. The interaction with the Centre’s leadership added a practical and motivational dimension to that exposure.

Regimental heritage remains an important part of the Indian Army’s institutional culture. Regiments preserve customs, battle honours and traditions that shape unit identity and cohesion, and exposure to these elements during training can help cadets understand the historical and cultural dimensions of military service. The MLIRC visit gave the NDA cadets an opportunity to observe that culture up close.

The combination of heritage exposure, leadership engagement and adventure activity made the programme more than a routine institutional visit. While the interaction at the regimental centre focused on military ethos and motivation, the rafting session at Dandeli tested the cadets in a setting that demanded teamwork and adaptability.

Such activities are particularly relevant for cadets preparing for future leadership roles in the Armed Forces. Military officers are expected to lead personnel, work within larger formations and make decisions under pressure, all of which are supported by experiences that build confidence, camaraderie and collective discipline.

The four-day interaction between the NDA cadets and the Maratha Light Infantry Regimental Centre therefore brought together military education, regimental culture and adventure training. The programme concluded on September 15, after the cadets had spent time at MLIRC and completed the Dandeli rafting activity, leaving them with a wider understanding of the environments they may encounter in their future service.

For the young cadets, the visit provided lessons that extended beyond conventional classroom learning. The regimental setting offered insight into military tradition, the interaction with the Officiating Commandant provided perspective on service life, and the rafting activity reinforced the importance of teamwork and coordination. Together, these elements added another layer of practical and institutional exposure to their training at the NDA.

The visit also strengthened the link between the National Defence Academy and the Army’s regimental institutions, exposing cadets to the professional environments and traditions that form part of their future careers. For the cadets, the experience at Belagavi and Dandeli was a combination of learning and participation that complemented their ongoing preparation to become officers of the Indian Armed Forces.