I thought my days of shaping young minds were behind me when, after 30 years of service to the Indian Army, I took off my uniform. But standing in front of countless students asking me “Sir, what should I do after Class 10 if I want to join the NDA”, I realized my real mission was just beginning.
I have spent three decades at the frontlines, in training centres, and in command positions. I know what it really takes to survive and excel in the armed forces. I can tell you with complete certainty that the difference between those who make it and those who don’t often starts a few years before they set foot in an NDA classroom. This is why I opened Impact Defence Academy: to bridge that gap.
Let me be frank with you: military life isn’t for everyone, and I am not here to peddle the idea that it is. I’ve buried colleagues. I’ve stood in sub-zero temperatures in the Himalayas. I’ve made decisions that kept soldiers alive. I’ve also experienced something beautiful, something most civilians will never understand. Camaraderie, purpose, and pride.
The day a 15-year-old Class 10 student comes to Impact Defence Academy, I don’t sell them dreams; I tell them the reality. And then I ask them if they are ready for it. Those who say yes get the preparation they truly need.
Here is what I observed over three decades: students who delayed their NDA preparation until after Class 12 were already behind. By then, their habits had formed, their physical conditioning was poor, and their understanding of what discipline really meant was superficial.
But what about the students who started the foundation training after Class 10? They had two years. Two years of building real strength, not just muscles, but mental toughness. To appreciate the fact that discipline is not punishment; it is freedom from your own weaknesses.
Think of it this way: if you want to be a cricketer, you don’t start training at 18. You start young. You build the foundation. By the time you’re 18, you’re already strong. The same thing applies here.
At the Impact Defence Academy, when I designed the curriculum, I did not copy what others do; I built upon what I know best because I lived it for 30 years.
In the Army, physical fitness is about far more than looking good or developing muscles like a movie hero. It’s about the true strength of the individual. It’s about having the energy to march 30 kilometers carrying a heavy load on your back. It’s about having the power to climb a steep mountain when your legs are tired. It’s about being fit enough so that in areas of high altitude where there’s less oxygen, you can think as clearly as anyone and make good decisions.
At Impact Defence Academy, our training starts from where the students are. If you can’t run 2 kilometres on the first day, it is okay; we don’t judge. But at the end of two years, you should be running 10 kilometres easily. We teach you something simple yet powerful: progress comes from doing something each day, not from doing something extreme once.
Personally, I watch our physical training sessions. Why? Because I remember an officer when I was young and struggling who believed in me. Knowing that someone powerful was watching and believing in me changed everything. That matters more than you think.
We teach you to swim properly. We make you climb ropes. We have you do obstacle courses. But more than that, we teach you to push through when you want to quit. That’s the real training.
Here’s something most coaching centers won’t tell you: being smart does not get you into the NDA. I’ve seen very intelligent officers struggle because they couldn’t explain their ideas clearly. I have seen students who were not exactly the smartest go on to become amazing leaders because they understood things deeply.
At Impact Defence Academy, we do not only teach you answers; we teach you to think as a soldier thinks. When we teach mathematics, we show you why it matters, and when we teach physics, we talk about real things, how guns work, how bridges stand strong, and how things actually function in the military.
General Knowledge isn’t about mugging up useless facts like the capital of Maharashtra being Mumbai. We teach you to understand India. We explain why certain areas are important to our defense. We teach you about our economy, our culture, and why we do what we do as a nation. An officer needs to understand their country deeply.
We also teach you English properly, not just grammar, but how to speak confidently, how to write clearly, and how to convince people with words. That is huge because, in the military, you need to lead people, and you lead through communication.
Where I spend most of my time and energy is here at the Impact Defence Academy. After 30 years, let me tell you something that will most likely be a surprise: 80 percent of success in the military is mental, not physical.
I have seen weaker soldiers outperform stronger ones because their minds didn’t break. I’ve seen average students become great leaders because they refused to give up mentally.
We put you in situations that make you uncomfortable. Not to hurt you, but teach you. Then one day, we change your routine: Give you a challenging problem and less time to solve it. Make the physical challenge harder without warning. These aren’t punishments. These are lessons.
I tell every student the same thing: in war, the enemy doesn’t care about your comfort. In leadership, your team will suddenly face problems that you didn’t expect. You need to know, with absolute certainty, that you won’t break. You’ll keep thinking clearly even when scared.
At Impact Defence Academy, we teach you breathing techniques. We teach you how to remain calm. We teach you how to make good decisions when you are stressed. These things sound simple, but they’re life-changing.
I have watched Class 10 foundation students who joined the Impact Defence Academy go on to become brilliant officers. Not just these students pass the NDA exam; they rank at the top of their academy batches. Why? Because they understand that excellence is a habit. Not something that happens once, but something you do every single day.
I have seen them develop real discipline, not because they are afraid of punishment, but because they respect themselves. They do not waste time anymore, and they do not do things that harm their body and mind. Why? Because they know their own value. I’ve seen this change in hundreds of students, and it is the most beautiful part of my work.
I’ve watched them build confidence that doesn’t break. A student who starts weak in math and works hard for two years and finally masters it, that student learns something amazing. Your starting point doesn’t matter. Your effort matters. If you’re weak today, you can be strong tomorrow. That’s the lesson.
I have seen them forge friendships that have lasted a lifetime. A lot of my very best friends in the service started as my batch mates in training. Students at Impact Defence Academy often turn out to become lifelong brothers and sisters not only in the military but also in life. These bonds are for real, and they matter.
At Impact Defence Academy, we understand that you are young. You are still discovering who you are. That is why we don’t give you just studies and exercises; we guide you at every step.
We have teachers who actually served in the military, not people who read books about the military. Real people who lived it. So when they teach you about discipline or courage or problem solving, it’s not theory; they are sharing their real experiences with you.
We keep your batch size small. This isn’t some large factory school. We know your name, and we know your strengths and weaknesses. And if you are struggling in physics or weak in running, we notice, and we help. That personal attention changes everything.
We teach you to think like a soldier: not how to be rude or aggressive, but how to be calm, clear thinking under pressure. We teach you to ask questions respectfully, to think through problems logically, and not to panic when things go wrong. These skills will help you not just in the military but also in life.
We have regular tests and competitions. Not to scare you, but to prepare you. You take a test, you see where you’re weak, and we help you improve. By the time you sit for the real NDA exam, you are not nervous because you have done similar exams a hundred times.
Most importantly, at Impact Defence Academy, we create an environment where everyone around you has the same goal. Everyone is serious. Everyone is pushing themselves. This positive peer pressure is powerful. When your friend is improving in running, you want to improve too. When your classmate masters a tough problem in math, you get inspired to learn harder. You can’t get this environment sitting alone at home.
I’ve sat on selection committees; I know what we’re looking for, and it’s not what most people think.
We don’t want robots or people who merely follow orders. We want thinking soldiers: soldiers who can adjust when circumstances change, who know why they do something, and who at the time can lead-and won’t break.
We want strong people, physically and mentally strong inside. We want people with character: people who, if something was wrong, would get up and say so, but do it respectfully with proof.
A student who is properly trained at the foundational level in Impact Defence Academy understands all this. They are not trying to be somebody else; they are becoming the kind of person India’s military needs.
In 30 years, I have seen good soldiers fail. I have seen them learn from that failure and go on to be incredible leaders. The difference wasn’t the failure. It was how they responded.
At Impact Defence Academy, students who fail an internal test are not thrown out. We sit down with him, ask him what happened: Why did you struggle? What distracted you? What was hard? Then, we plan how to help them.
I tell students, the actual NDA exam isn’t testing whether you’re already perfect. It’s testing whether you can overcome problems. Let’s use this failure to learn and get better.
Some of our best students, some of our most successful students, were initially our difficult cases. Students who struggled initially but kept trying. Students who were weak in the beginning but, through hard work, became strong. Those students often become the strongest officers because they know what it takes to improve.
I am not going to lie to you. Not every student who comes to Impact Defence Academy will join the NDA. Some of them will realize that military life is not their thing; that is perfectly okay. Some will not be able to clear the final exam, no matter how hard they try. That is not a tragedy; this is clarity.
But let me promise you this: if you really commit yourself to our foundation course at Impact Defence Academy, you will be a changed person; a better person.
You will be strong enough physically to bear hardship. You will run for miles, climb mountains, and endure physical challenges that would have beaten the old you.
You’ll develop an academic understanding that will allow you to approach problems in a highly lucid manner. You will know science and math not as subjects, but as the tools of real thinking.
You will be mentally tough: when life hurls problems at you, you will never panic. You will remain cool and clear in your head.
You will be disciplined, not because you have to force yourself, but because you have learned its worth. You will be that kind of person who keeps promises, who finishes what is started, who does not settle for mediocrity.
You will have character, integrity, honesty-and people will be able to trust you, follow you. And here is something even better: these qualities don’t just help you to get into the NDA. They help you build a successful life, whether you’re in the military or not. A businessman needs discipline and integrity, a doctor needs clear thinking under pressure, and a teacher needs the ability to inspire people. There is hardly any career that does not benefit from these qualities.
When we train young people at Impact Defence Academy, we are not preparing them for an exam; instead, we may be helping to shape the future leaders of India’s defense. That is quite a responsibility, and one that we take seriously every day. After years, we know something for sure. Foundation training after Class 10 isn’t just efficient; it’s necessary. It sifts out students with a genuine commitment from those who are merely passing the time. It changes you from an ordinary student into a soldier, in your mind and body, even before you don a uniform.
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If you are a student reading this and considering foundation training, then ask yourself some honest questions. Do I want to serve my country? Not someday. Now, am I willing to be uncomfortable? Am I ready to discover what I’m truly capable of? If your answer is yes, then come to Impact Defence Academy. Walk through our door. I’ll be honest with you: sometimes brutally honest. We’ll push you harder than you think you can go.
We’ll demand more from you than anyone else in your life has demanded. But we promise you something. By the time you’re done, you’ll know who you really are. You’ll know your own strength. You’ll know you can overcome obstacles. You’ll know you’re capable of excellence.
That’s the greatest gift we can give you. Not just a selection of NDA, although that often happens. Real self-knowledge. Real confidence. The absolute certainty that you can achieve excellence in whatever you choose to do.
That is what 30 years in the Indian Army taught me: that discipline builds strength, consistency beats talent, character matters most, and young people are capable of so much more than they believe. And that is exactly what we are here to teach you at Impact Defence Academy.
Jai Hind.
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