St Philomena College cadets shine at All India Thal Sainik Camp

Mangaluru: In the highly prestigious All India Thal Sainik Camp, an annual event hosted by the NCC Directorate in New Delhi, two remarkable NCC cadets from St Philomena College Puttur have not only participated but excelled, bringing immense pride to the Karnataka and Goa Directorate as well as their college.

The dedication and unwavering hard work of these cadets, who sacrificed 60 days of education and family life for rigorous training, have resulted in remarkable success in special competitions. Each year, the camp sees the participation of 40 boys and 36 girls from the Karnataka and Goa Directorate. The inclusion of two cadets from St Philomena College is a testament to the remarkable history and extraordinary distinction of the college.

Junior Under Officer Riya Sushmitha D’Souza, a 3rd-year NCC cadet and 2nd-year BSc student in the college, is the daughter of Ronald D’Souza and Theresa Maria Louis, hailing from Sakaleshpur, Hassan. While she narrowly missed an opportunity in the All India Shooting Competition in July due to unforeseen circumstances, her perseverance and relentless efforts bore fruit at the All India Thal Sainik Camp. Riya’s exceptional focus and hard work secured the Karnataka and Goa Directorate Championship in the 1.5-centimeter grouping in shooting competitions. Her eligibility for this prestigious camp was earned through firing approximately 3000 rounds in training camps, demonstrating her extraordinary skills.

Senior Under Officer Sujit S. P., the son of Saajiman P. and Mary, is a 3rd-year NCC cadet and 3rd-year B.Com student. His team secured the third position in a special competition that involved overcoming challenging obstacles (obstacle training) at the All India TSC Camp in Shivmogga. In the tent-pitching event, the team achieved first place, earning both gold and bronze medals and substantial recognition.

In recognition of their outstanding achievements, both cadets were felicitated during a college assembly in the presence of the Principal, Vice Principals, Student Welfare Officers, the entire student body, and faculty members.

These two cadets received invaluable guidance and special training from Lieutenant Johnson David Sequera, the NCC officer of the college. Their accomplishments are also attributed to the commendable support and unwavering encouragement provided by the college authorities, especially the Correspondent, Very Rev. Fr Lawrence Mascarenhas, the Principal, Rev. Dr Antony Prakash Monteiro, and Campus Director Rev. Fr Stany Pinto.