Six friends from Manipur, who studied together since Class 6, were commissioned as Army officers at the Indian Military Academy. Thokchom Shiggarth, M Denish Singh, and others cleared the NDA exam together. They are the first from their families to join the armed forces. Despite recent unrest in Manipur, the officers are focused on their careers.They met in 2013 in Class 6 at Sainik school in Imphal and on Saturday, the six young men from Manipur were commissioned into as Army officers in Indian Military Academy’s Khetrapal Auditorium, TOI reported.
The friends cleared the NDA entrance exam in 2021 and joined training together at both NDA & IMA, Lieutenants Thokchom Shiggarth, M Denish Singh, Naoton Maetei, Naoba, Meghnat Soibam & Ronendro Angom became officers in the Army together.
The group that once shared classrooms and ambition now stood in uniform, transforming the bond of friendship into brotherhood.
Each of the six men are the first in their families to join the armed forces. Their fathers are farmers, grocers, small business owners.
They navigated through childhood, adolescence and academics always as a group.
Inside the auditorium, Lt Angom stood near the plaque commemorating the Battle of Basantar and reflected on the journey ahead.
“We learnt life together-not just sports or academics,” Angom told TOI. “Now, for the first time in years, we part ways as we join different regiments and are posted to different corners of the country.”
Manipur has ad a rough time in the last two years with widespread ethnic unrest and fractured communities, bringing everyday life to a halt. However, when asked about it, the newly commissioned officers offered no anger. “Good and bad times are part of life,” Lt M Denish told TOI.
“We must learn from both and focus on building our careers. That’s how we can help our society and our state.”
(With TOI inputs)
