Despite the Covid-19 induced lockdown and restrictions, Wellington based Madras Regimental Centre, one of the oldest infantry units of the Indian Army, kept the tradition of despatching well trained new recruits to regiments in the forward units of the country. Wellington, atop the Nilgiri mountains, came alive on Friday morning as Army buglers announced the beginning of the annual attestation parade.  

The impressive parade saw the induction of 132 recruits into the Indian Army after a gruelling training that lasted for more than a year. The recruits drawn out from the six southern States who successfully completed basic and advanced military training were designated as sepoys and would board trains and aircraft to move over to units of Madras Regimental Centre spread out across the forward areas of the country for active military life.

Brigadier Rajeshwar Singh, commandant , MRC Wellington, reviewed the parade held at the historic drill ground of Sreenagesh Barracks  The Madras Regimental Centre is an iconic Army unit in the country and which has proved its mettle during combat operations  as well as peacetime initiatives.

 The Army centre earned the love and affection of the people in Nilgiri and surrounding districts when the soldiers of the unit reached inaccessible terrains in the region to feed thousands of civilians who were left penniless and jobless because of the Covid-19 induced lockdown.

Addressing the soldiers and their instructors after reviewing the impressive attestation period, Brigadier Rajeshwar Singh emphasized on the fact that the regimental centre has not missed out a single day of training since the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.