- Khevna Parmar will be taking part in the Republic Day parade which will take place in New Delhi, on January 26.
- She will also be participating in the Prime Minister’s rally which will be held on January 28
- I will always be truly thankful to my teachers at the Adani Vidya Mandir for helping me push my boundaries and enroll in the school NCC: Parmar
NE EDUCATION BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, JAN 23
Adani Vidya Mandir student Khevna Parmar, 14, never imagined that at such a young age she will be taking part in the 74th Republic Day celebrations that will be taking place in New Delhi. Flying Cadet Sergeant Khevna Parmar is the only girl cadet from Junior Division Air Wing NCC, to be selected as the Best Cadet, and will be representing Gujarat at the prestigious platform.
Coming from a humble background, things were never easy for her. But her story is one of taking on and surmounting challenge after challenge to realize her dreams. “Since a very young age, I aspired to become a fighter pilot and serve my country,” says Khevna, who will be participating in the Prime Minister’s rally which will be held on January 28, wherein dignitaries will be present, including the President of India and the Prime Minister.
Khevna, who is currently studying in standard 9, at the Adani Vidya Mandir, Ahmedabad, Gujarat says, “I come from a very modest family background. My father works as a computer operator with a city-based firm and my mother works in Anganwadi. And even though my parents have been struggling hard to make ends meet, they never discouraged me and my younger sister to follow our dreams. My father is my strongest pillar of support,” shares Parmar.
Despite all the hardships, the young girl is all set to make us proud as she’s the only girl cadet who will be representing her school, from Ahmedabad Group HQ NCC in Gujarat Contingent at the All India Level. “Enrolling in the National Cadet Corps was the first step towards realizing my dreams. And I will always be truly thankful to my teachers at the Adani Vidya Mandir for helping me push my boundaries and enroll in the school NCC,” says the feisty young girl.
Parmar was selected after a rigorous selection process of cadets across Gujarat, Daman, and Diu. Out of the 111 cadets who had participated, Khevna believes that the reason she cracked the selection process was that she has never been afraid to push her limits. “The selection process can be very difficult as you are not sure what will be a deal maker or a deal breaker for you. I was certainly nervous, but I never let it overshadow me. Even during the practice sessions, I was never fully satisfied with my performance and would keep on practicing. With the help of my mentor Durga Prasad, I was able to identify my mistakes and thoroughly work on them,” says an elated Khevna.
Khevna underwent many rounds of selection and competed with the best candidates from across the state. “I never saw anyone as a competition and took the positives and negatives in my stride. During the selection process, many of us became friends and we would even help each other,” she adds.
When quizzed about the quality that helped Parmar stand out, her mentor and guide, NCC Officer, T/O Durga Prasad, shares, “Her positive spirit, passion, and self-belief helped her to stand out.”
Durga Prasad, 44, Third Officer (T/O) ANO (Associate NCC Officer), No. 2 Guj Air Squadron, Flying NCC Ahmedabad, further adds, “There was never a dull moment around her as her energy to learn and improve was infectious. She took all my guidance in the right spirit and worked hard on herself. I truly feel she’s a role model to all the other cadets in the NCC.”
As we observe National Girl Child Day on Tuesday, we ask this wonder child how she’s feeling to represent her state on such a prestigious platform, and a happy Khevna, says, “I’m very proud to represent Gujarat at such an esteemed platform and I feel grateful for everyone including my family, mentor and my teachers who helped me reach till here.”
