Officers Training Academy
Encyclopedia
The Officers Training Academy, Chennai (OTA) is a training establishment of the Indian Army
that trains officers for the Short Service Commission. The 10 month course at the OTA prepares graduates for the Technical branches of the Army. Established on 15 January 1963, the academy is spread over 750 acres (3 km²) about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) south of Chennai
, India
.
between 1942-45 to meet the huge demand for officers to serve in the Indian and Commonwealth Armies during World War II
. However, these schools were closed down at the end of the war.
In 1962, following the Sino-Indian War
, India identified the need to expand the number of officers for effective operations. Two Officers Training Schools (OTS) were established in Pune
and Madras (now known as Chennai) to train officers for Emergency Commission into the Army. The process of establishing the schools was begun in September 1962. The Chennai school was inaugurated on 15 January 1963, with Brigadier Ram Singh as its first Commandant. The Pune school had a short run and was closed in 1964. However, the school in Chennai continued to operate and on 2 February 1965, it obtained the sanction to shift focus to train officers for the Short Service Regular Commission.
The Short Service Regular Commission has evolved into the Short Service Commission, and the OTS has continued to train officers for these commissions. The school was granted permanent status in 1985. On 1 January 1988, the school was renamed as the Officers Training Academy (OTA), at par with the NDA and IMA.
The first batch of 25 women to be commissioned as officers into the Army, were trained at the OTA with training commencing on 21 September 1992.
Major Ramaswamy Parameshwaran
, 8 Mahar
, was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra
(PVC), India's highest honor for gallantry, during Operation Pawan
. Lieutenant Rajeev Sandhu was also posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra
during Operation Pawan.
Other famous OTA alumni include Second Lieutenant S.S. Samra and Major KS Chandpuri who were awarded Maha Vir Chakra
(MVC) during Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
. Major Jasram Singh and Capt J.S. Raina were awarded the Ashok Chakra
during counter insurgency
operations in the northeast. Major K.G. Chatterjee won the Maha Vir Chakra in Siachen. Second Lieutenant C.A. Pithawalla was awarded the Ashok Chakra for counter-insurgency operations.
Four OTA alumni were awarded the Maha Vir Chakra during the Kargil war
. These included Major Padmapani Acharya (Posthumous), Lieutenant Balwan Singh, Major Sonam Wang Chuk and Lieutenant Keishing Clifford Nongrum (Posthumous).
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
that trains officers for the Short Service Commission. The 10 month course at the OTA prepares graduates for the Technical branches of the Army. Established on 15 January 1963, the academy is spread over 750 acres (3 km²) about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) south of Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
History
Seven Officers Training Schools were established in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
between 1942-45 to meet the huge demand for officers to serve in the Indian and Commonwealth Armies during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. However, these schools were closed down at the end of the war.
In 1962, following the Sino-Indian War
Sino-Indian War
The Sino-Indian War , also known as the Sino-Indian Border Conflict , was a war between China and India that occurred in 1962. A disputed Himalayan border was the main pretext for war, but other issues played a role. There had been a series of violent border incidents after the 1959 Tibetan...
, India identified the need to expand the number of officers for effective operations. Two Officers Training Schools (OTS) were established in Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
and Madras (now known as Chennai) to train officers for Emergency Commission into the Army. The process of establishing the schools was begun in September 1962. The Chennai school was inaugurated on 15 January 1963, with Brigadier Ram Singh as its first Commandant. The Pune school had a short run and was closed in 1964. However, the school in Chennai continued to operate and on 2 February 1965, it obtained the sanction to shift focus to train officers for the Short Service Regular Commission.
The Short Service Regular Commission has evolved into the Short Service Commission, and the OTS has continued to train officers for these commissions. The school was granted permanent status in 1985. On 1 January 1988, the school was renamed as the Officers Training Academy (OTA), at par with the NDA and IMA.
The first batch of 25 women to be commissioned as officers into the Army, were trained at the OTA with training commencing on 21 September 1992.
Notable alumni
The alumni of the OTA have won numerous honours and gallantry awards.Major Ramaswamy Parameshwaran
Ramaswamy Parameshwaran
Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran, was born on 13 September 1946, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. He was granted Short Service Commission in the Mahar Regiment on 16 January 1972...
, 8 Mahar
Mahar Regiment
The Mahar Regiment is an Infantry Regiment of the Indian Army. Although it was originally intended to be a regiment consisting of troops from the Mahars in Maharashtra, the Mahar Regiment is one of the only regiments in the Indian Army that is composed of troops from all communities and regions of...
, was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra
Param Vir Chakra
The Param Vir Chakra is India's highest military decoration awarded for the highest degree of valour or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy. It can be, and often has been, awarded posthumously....
(PVC), India's highest honor for gallantry, during Operation Pawan
Operation Pawan
Operation Pawan was the codename assigned to the operation by the Indian Peace Keeping Force to take control of Jaffna from the LTTE , in late 1987 to enforce the disarmament of the LTTE as a part of the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord...
. Lieutenant Rajeev Sandhu was also posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra
Maha Vir Chakra
The Maha Vir Chakra is the second highest military decoration in India and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It may be awarded posthumously. Literally Maha Veer means extraordinarily brave.-Appearance:The medal is made...
during Operation Pawan.
Other famous OTA alumni include Second Lieutenant S.S. Samra and Major KS Chandpuri who were awarded Maha Vir Chakra
Maha Vir Chakra
The Maha Vir Chakra is the second highest military decoration in India and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It may be awarded posthumously. Literally Maha Veer means extraordinarily brave.-Appearance:The medal is made...
(MVC) during Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3, 1971 pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian airbases...
. Major Jasram Singh and Capt J.S. Raina were awarded the Ashok Chakra
Ashoka Chakra Award
The Ashok Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valor, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield. It is the peace time equivalent of the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for the "most conspicuous bravery or some daring or pre-eminent valour or self-sacrifice" other...
during counter insurgency
Counter insurgency
A counter-insurgency or counterinsurgency involves actions taken by the recognized government of a nation to contain or quell an insurgency taken up against it...
operations in the northeast. Major K.G. Chatterjee won the Maha Vir Chakra in Siachen. Second Lieutenant C.A. Pithawalla was awarded the Ashok Chakra for counter-insurgency operations.
Four OTA alumni were awarded the Maha Vir Chakra during the Kargil war
Kargil War
The Kargil War ,, also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control...
. These included Major Padmapani Acharya (Posthumous), Lieutenant Balwan Singh, Major Sonam Wang Chuk and Lieutenant Keishing Clifford Nongrum (Posthumous).