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Wikipedia / Officers Training Academy

The Officers Training Academy (OTA) is a training establishment of the Indian Army that trains officers for the Short Service Commission (SSC). The 49-week course at the OTA prepares graduates for all branches of the Army, except for the Army Medical Corps. Established in 1963, the first academy is located in Alandur, a southern neighbourhood of Chennai. OTA chennai has an impressive tally of gallantry award including 1 Param Vir Chakra, 8 Ashoka Chakra, 10 Maha Vir Chakra, 22 Kirti Chakra, 63 Vir Chakra, 119 Shaurya Chakra and 587 Sena Medal earned by the officers commissioned from this academy bears testimony to the Valour and dedication displayed by the Alumni. A new academy was set up at Gaya in 2011; which was given the go-ahead in December 2019 to be disbanded, but continues to operate.

History

OTA Chennai

Seven Officers Training Schools were established in 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 Chennai to train officers for getting commissioned into the Army. The process of establishing the schools had begun in September 1962. The Chennai school was inaugurated on 15 January 1963, for nation by and 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. OTA Chennai is spread over . The Short Service Regular Commission has evolved into the Short Service Commission, and the OTA 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), in tandem with the NDA and IMA.

The Presidential Colors were presented to the Academy on 18 August 1990 by R. Venkataraman, the then President of India. The first batch of 25 women to be commissioned as officers into the Army was trained at the OTA, with training commencing on 21 September 1992. Cadets go through holistic training activities in their curriculum at OTA Chennai, including auxiliary programs such as Emergency Medical Response, Search and Rescue and Hand to Hand combat from organizations such as Red Cross. Cadets are organised in 2 battalions, namely Ranjith Singh Battalion and Shivaji Battalion. Ranjith Singh Battalion consists of three companies, namely, Kohima, Jessami, and Phillora; Shivaji Battalion consists of three companies, namely, Meiktila, Naushera, and Zojila.

OTA Gaya

OTA Gaya, set up in 2011, is located amid an estate of approximately 870 acres in a hilly terrain of Paharpur at Gaya. The academy is located en route from Gaya to Bodhgaya, approx 7km from Gaya railway station. The international airport of Gaya is adjacent to the academy. In its vicinity is Bodhgaya, an international tourism destination. Gaya Cantonment dates back to World War II, as one of the headquarters of the British Army.

To mark the commencement of the academy, a flag-hoisting ceremony was solemnised, and the consecration of the raising of the academy was carried out in true secular tradition of the Indian Army, with recital of scriptures from holy books of different religions. The academy has been equipped with state-of-the-art training facilities, at par with other pre-commissioning training institutions. The insignia of Officers Training Academy, Gaya, has a two-colour background, with the upper half grey and the lower half blood-red, having two crossed swords superimposed with the Dharmchakra. A scroll below bears the motto of the academy – 'Shaurya, Gyan, Sankalp' in Devanagari. The academy provides basic military training to officer cadets of the Short Service Commission (Technical) course for a period of 11 months. Post the completion of basic military training, the officer cadets of SSC Tech are commissioned as officers in the Indian Army after the passing out parade. The academy has two battalions: Khetarpal battalion and Batra battalion, named after two of India's PVC awardees. Each battalion has four companies. Khetarpal battalion has Gurez, Kalidhar, Basantar, and Dograi companies, whereas Batra battalion has Tithwal, Rezangla, Hajipir, and Longewala companies. They are named after famous battles of the Indian Army.

The first batch of 149 trainee officers underwent training in the academy during the period July 2011 to Jun 2012, and the first passing out parade was conducted on 8 June 2012. The second batch, after successful completion of their training (January 2012 – December 2012), passed out on 8 December 2012. A total of 176 cadets from TES 26 and SCO 29 courses passed out on 8 December 2012. The academy has the capacity to train 350 cadets. A gap of one and a half years due to the COVID pandemic saw minimal activities during the passing-out parade. TES-38 was the first course to pass out from the portals of this academy after the hiatus. Lt Gen Vivek Kashyap, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, is the current commandant of the academy, having taken charge in September 2025.

Notable alumni

The academy has produced many war heroes and distinguished officers. Many have gone on to work for corporations after leaving the Indian Army. The OTA Alumni Association was registered under the Societies Act 1860 at Chandigarh with all India jurisdiction.

Param Vir Chakra

Ashoka Chakra

Mahavir Chakra

Vir Chakra

Politics

Media Personalities

Others

  • Col Sophia Qureshi first Indian woman officer to lead an Indian Army contingent in a multinational military exercise (Exercise Force 18, 2016)

  • Capt Tania Shergill became the first Indian woman Parade Adjutant to lead an all-men contingent at an Army Day function in the Indian Army.

President's Colors

SS 50 Course got the honour of receiving the coveted Presidential Colors awarded to the Academy. The Colors were presented on 18 August 1990 by R. Venkataraman, the 8th President of India.

List of Commandants

The Commandant of the Officers Training Academy is the overall in-charge of all the functioning of the Officers Training Academy, Chennai. The Commandant of the College is a three-star rank officer (Lieutenant General) from the Indian Army. He is supported by the Deputy Commandant and Chief Instructor (DCCI), held by a Major General.

OTA Chennai

OTA Gaya

See also

References

() - coordinates of OTA, Bihar