Officers Training Academy

Seven Officers Training Schools were established in India to meet the escalated demand for officers during the turbulent years of World War II. The Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai was established in January 1963 as the Officers Training School (OTS)

On being granted a permanent status in 1985, the OTS was re-christened as the Officers Training Academy on January 1, 1988 placing it on a par with IMA and NDA.

The Academy is located in a sprawling estate of 650 acres (2.6 km²) about 15 km south of the Chennai city.

At the inception, the OTS imparted training only to the cadets of Emergency Commission (EC) Courses. A formal government sanction was accorded for its new role on February 2, 1965 to train officers for the Short Service Regular Commission (non-tech) and the Short Service Regular Commission (compulsory service liability).

History

Genesis

The genesis of OTA^[1] can be traced back to the Second World War. As many as seven Officers Training Schools were established in India during 1942-45. However these were closed down after the War. The sudden growth in the demand for officers at the time of the conflict between India and China in 1962 gave birth simultaneously to two Officers Training Schools, one each at Pune and Madras. While the school at Pune was closed down in 1964, the one in Madras continued to function. It evolved into a modern institution to become a premier precommission training academy in the country today.

OTS Re-named as OTA

In 1985, the institution was granted permanent status and proposal was sent to convert the School to an Academy. The approval from Army HQ was received on the New Year’s Eve^[when?]. A Special Sainik Sammelan^{[clarification needed]} was held on 01 January 1988 in the auditorium as a part of the Silver Jubilee Celebrations, where Maj Gen N Vishwanathan, the then Commandant, announced the re-naming from OTS to the Officers Training Academy (OTA).

Notable alumni

The alumni of the OTA have won numerous honours and gallantry awards. These include Maj R Parameshwaran (Posthumous), the lone recipient of the Param Vir Chakra (PVC) in OP PAWAN, who died displaying the most conspicuous gallantry. Other examples include 2 Lt SS Samra and Major (Now Brig) KS Chandpuri won the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) during 1971 War and Major Jasram Singh and Capt JS Raina were awarded the Ashok Chakra during Counter Insurgency Operations in the North East. Lt Rajeev Sandhu was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra in OP PAWAN, Major KG Chatterjee won the Maha Vir Chakra in SIACHEN Operations and 2 Lt (now Brig) CA Pithawalla who won the Ashok Chakra in Counter Insurgency Operations. In the Kargil operations four Alumni of OTA won the Maha Vir Chakra: Major Padmapani Acharya (Posthumous), Lt Balwan Singh, Major Sonam Wang Chuk and Lt Keishing Clifford Nongrum (Posthumous).

References

1. ^ [1] Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai-Source-Indian Ministry of Defense

http://www.mod.nic.in/rec%26training/