The Air Force Academy is the premiere training institute for the Indian Air Force. Back in his hometown, Lucknow, Mudit prepares to say goodbye and leave for his training Since I am leaving for 6 months, I just want to spend my maximum time with my family. They will be coming with me till Lucknow airport and I will be on the journey to the new world. I am going to miss them but this is a question of making my future. I have not packed any special thing. Just my mother has made some laddoos for me and some special sweets. Rest are all the things that are mentioned in the joining instructions that I have been packing. Except this I am not carrying anything extra. From here on, for Mudit, the nation and his duty come first. I was thinking I won’t get much emotional when I will leave my parents at the airport. Okay, I anticipated this but it wasn’t like that. I got a bit emotional when I saw my mom was crying. I was thinking I will be seeing them after a long time. We convert them from a civilian to an Air Warrior. And if someone wants to become a fighter pilot, the most important aspect is discipline, integrity, confidence, courage. All these qualities are imbibed into them in this one year. We have a motto called - Shram se Siddhi whatever you want to achieve, it can only be achieved with hardwork. The transformation for the cadets is not easy. Especially since they enter the Academy from varied backgrounds. First up are the Ex-NDA cadets who have completed 3-year training at the National Defence Academy They enter straight into the first stage of flying. Meanwhile civilians enter the Academy either through Combined Defence Services Examination or the Air Force Common Admission Test. And they need to put in an additional 6 months to match up with their NDA counterparts. Something that Priya, Amogh and Kartik have already done and Mudit is gearing up for. When my flight was about to land, I saw the academy from the top. It gave me a goosebump in that very moment. I just wanted to reach the academy as soon as I can. I have to report at Secunderabad Railway Station. At the reception cell of Air Force Academy. I met with other cadets who have come from different parts of India. The academy is bit far from the place we all reported that is at Secunderabad Station. We were just waiting to reach. We were counting the kilometres on the road like Air Force Academy is 7 kilometres, 6 kilometres Before joining the Air Force, I always felt like if I would be able to do this But everything changed once I joined the academy. And finally when I saw the entrance of academy I just felt like a dream come true moment. I was getting so nervous. When I reached academy I saw different missiles which were kept there. The different model planes or actual size planes which were in between, It was all fascinating. There were many hoardings. This particular hoarding which keeps coming into my mind which said It's your job to keep meeting targets, and our job is to nail down the enemy. We had to follow the complete procedure Complete security checking was done and after that we had to submit our mobile phones. We were not allowed to keep our mobile phones. And in my opinion this is very good because your focus stays only on your work, When I back home, even then I didn't use my phone because my life seemed good without it. Patience is the most important aspect over here There are 97 candidates in total and documentation is going to take a lot of time. I was observing everything very carefully. How are the senior interacting with everyone What is their rank! What are they talking about How they are behaving with fellow officers I was observing everything that was happening there. After that I underwent a small medical test where my height and weight was measured In January 1982 I had entered this Air Force Academy as a cadet for the first time. And in June 1991 I came back again as an instructor And I am commandment since December 2016. So I have seen the academy growing in front of my eyes. And I have seen the various aspects of life. And to be truthful even I was scared when I came here for the first time. During my starting days at academy, it was a cultural shock for me. All my luxurious things were taken away from me. And we were told to live a very simple life My first day in academy was very confusing Because I couldn't figure out where to go what to do I was so confused Every new cadet is nervous and tensed in the beginning But as an instructor Its our job apart from being strict and disciplined we even make them feel comfortable.

There are men and women who dream of serving the nation… and then there are those who train for it. Walking an air warrior's path is not an easy task. From training ground to the battlefield... every moment is filled with struggle that, only those with a sharp acumen, integrity and a strong will can survive. Every year, the Air Force Academy witnesses the successes and failures of outstanding young men and women as they strive to become officers worthy of the Indian Air Force. This is Indian Air Force Academy At the Air Force Academy, it has only been two days for Mudit in Stage 0 Pre Flying Training The level of difficulty is another level What we want to do with these cadets is that their mind and body are in unison Earning the blue uniform is not going to be easy. Priya in Stage 1 flying has cleared her preliminary tests and... ...graduates to the simulator. they will go to the aircraft and fly their first sortie... ...only after they have cleared a test on ground. Amogh in Stage 2 has completed ground training of flying and ... ...gets ready for his first dual sortie in a new aircraft. And Kartik is undergoing rigorous flying in Stage 2 to make up for lost time. (I thought this kid will not be able to fly again.) Kartik, Amogh, Priya and Mudit. Their dream of a career in the Indian Air Force ... ...hinges on their successfully completing the challenges that lay ahead…at the Air Force Academy. The sun isn’t even up but the Academy is up and running. The freshers, Stage 0 Cadets, fall in at the grounds for the morning outdoor training. Mudit’s physical toughening has begun. There are 20 different set of grueling exercises in a span of 2 hours without a minute’s break. Mudit needs to meet the high standards of training... or else he’ll be sent back home. Obviously I like outdoor activities, as well. But, here the level of difficulty is another level. once your body is subject to a rigorous of workout, your body will start behaving differently and your mind will start behaving differently. What we want to do with these cadets is that their mind and body are in unison. It is very difficult for us to make a cadet and candidate from unphysical standard to a physical standard. Whether its extremely cold or scorching hot , the outdoor training continues irrespective of the weather conditions; and for the cadets, irrespective of their gender. I was six years old when I chose this as my dream. I was overweight as a kid in school. So, I knew in order to pursue my dream I had to be fit. So, I started running, I started playing squash, I started playing tennis. And I made myself fit to the point that I get selected in the Air force academy on the basis of my sports background. I have prepared myself well enough and I hope I won’t get too intimidated and I will be able to perform to the best of my abilities. In 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, they will be the perfect cadets. After that we will just polish them up to graduate from the Academy Relentless training is what it will take for Mudit to undergo a successful transformation from a raw civilian to a cadet. It is tough. It is testing. From outdoor training to the next class, we have time of about 30 minutes. So, that time we have to come back from the stadium out here, and then go change, take bath and then go to the breakfast. The life of here is very fast. You might not have understood the value of 1 minute in civil life. But, you will understand here. If we have 1 minute, it means you have 60 seconds, which means you can at least do 2 activities in that. We don’t have much time to spare on our personal work, so we have to manage it out from somewhere Now I have my breakfast in only 2 or 3 minutes. While the cadets are busy nourishing themselves, Mudit is distracted. The men in blues walk in. It’s the uniform Mudit has a keen eye on. The freshers, stage 0 cadets are given 10 minutes to finish their breakfast, before they have to fall in and leave for academic classes. But wherever they go, the cadets cannot walk. we have standing orders, for juniors, that we cannot walk in the corridor. We have to run. The “run” order has to be followed by the freshers for the entire 6 months of this stage. The cadets cannot be found standing idly or even walking in the corridors. And if they do, they have to bear the consequences. The seniors introduce them to the concept of Ragda. terminology which is used is Ragda, is basically, it’s a colloquial word . which means physical toughening is done at flight cadet’s mess authorized one I got punished. And I know that punishment here is enjoyable but still, nobody wants to get punished. I had my share of punishment in my junior term. I missed on my haircut and I had to run 8kms with a rucksack and combat dress with 20 kgs on my shoulder. I just missed the timing by 2 or 3 odd minutes. So, when Murgi, you have to lower your bumsAnd then they asked us to get Murga and Murgi, both. So, when Murgi, you have to lower your bums and when Murga, you have to raise your bums. And then you have to do it on counting. One is down, two is up – Murga – Murgi. And when you start doing, you feel tremendous pain in your thigh. From that day till now I have never got late for any of the activity.

While the entire flight cadet’s mess is observing the study period, Mudit and his colleagues of Katre Squadron have gathered... to receive an important instruction from their seniors. This fallen is for briefing the cadets. There is going to be deputy commandant cabin inspection. These brown sheets are issued to cadets for arranging their cabins. So they are getting 45 minutes to clean their cupboards and apply these brown sheets. The cabin inspection will be done by squadron commander ... ...and after that it will be done by deputy commandant... ...and finally, it will be done by commandant. For that, we need to maintain our cabins in best shape. My seniors have taught me how the room has to be kept and I am working on it. We have a birthday of my coursemate who is in my sqaudron. His name is Siddharth Malik. And as per the tradition, we are going to celebrate his birthday today. At the Air Force Academy even birthday’s are celebrated within a specified time period. The cake is there. The ice creams have to sponsored by the birthday boy. And then we do some dare kind of things given by the best friend of his. Then they did 23 push ups for me. So it was a gift from them. We don’t believe in wasting food here. It’s enjoyable. You do what you do with your coursemates. That’s the beauty of it. Birthday boy has some privileges as well. He is exempted from every fallen every punishment. He just has to say it’s his birthday. He will ask to just go to his cabin and relax. At the Air Force Academy, after the study period the night muster begins. I primarily tell them what their next day will be like. . Apart from that, if they have any problem or if there is any requirement I have to listen to them. So this night muster is the final roll call of the cadets before they go for the dinner... ...and subsequently they off to sleep. After receiving instructions for the next day, the cadets disperse to the dinning hall for dinner. This event has air of formality to it. So when the cadets arrive, they come from different background. This mess takes the responsibility with the help of seniors ... ...to teach them or coach them what the table manners... ...and what fork and knife is all about. The mess etiquette is the most important and interesting thing out here. Because I have never used that kind of etiquette to eating. There are the sections of the plate where you have to put certain things... ...like rice can be put only on one spot, ... salad has to be there at a fixed spot. And and you have to keep your fork and spoon in a particular manner... ...to show whether plate is open or close. As per military etiquette... ...if the fork and knife is kept in a cross state,... ...there is indication to the waiter without speaking to him that I am continuing with my meal. There are some certain code that you need to follow. Whenever you have to sit you need to ask permission from senior sitting beside you. You have lot of things to do. You have to be alert all the time. When the meal is finished, fork and knife has to be places parallel on the plate. This is the indication that I have finished my meal, please clear my plate. While leaving, you have to ask for the permission. After then only you are allowed to close your plate... and leave from the right of the chair. Dinner is so formal that Mudit has to unlearn his civilian ways. Now it’s time for Mudit to call it a day ... ...and the lights go off strictly at 2200 hours. Another demanding day at the Academy comes to an end. Mudit is trying his best to fit it. Priya and Amogh are applying themselves wholly to turn their dreams into reality. The thoughts of not being able to pass out on this term are playing on Kartik’s mind. The journey will only get tougher. But when the going gets tough, the cadets get going… ...every day and night getting closer to their dreams with each lights out.