Mysore/Mysuru: City NCC Senior Under Officer (SUO) Mukkatira Kalpana Kuttappa, associated with the 14 Kar Bn NCC in Mysuru, has been honoured with the prestigious Raksha Mantri Padak for the year 2023.

Kalpana stands out as one of the two cadets selected for this esteemed award, as announced by the NCC Director General, recognising her unwavering sincerity, dedication and outstanding performance within the NCC. The Raksha Mantri Padak comes with a cash prize of Rs. 30,000, a medal and a citation. Apart from her commendable contributions to the NCC, Kalpana is a renowned skater. She played a crucial role in the success of the Indian Junior Women 3,000m Relay Team, securing the 2nd position in the 19th Asian Roller Skating Championships held at Beidaihe, China in October 2023.

Currently pursuing her education at Christ College, Mysuru, Kalpana is the daughter of M.S. Ravi and T.K. Swathi, residents of Mahadeshwara Layout in city. Having embarked on her skating journey at the age of four, Kalpana has achieved excellence in both State and National-level Skating competitions, earning numerous medals, including 50 gold.

Her accomplishments extend beyond the national borders. Kalpana was a key member of the 16-person Indian team that participated in the World Speed Skating Championship 2023 held in Vicenza, Italy. She had previously represented India in the World Skate Games 2022, hosted in Argentina. 

Mysuru R-Day contingent

A notable achievement for the Karnataka and Goa Directorate as 119 NCC cadets have been chosen to participate in this year’s Republic Day Camp (RDC) being held in New Delhi.

The selected cadets include 40 from the senior wing (girls), 7 from the junior wing (girls), 63 from the senior division (boys), and 9 from the junior division (boys). Impressively, Mysuru contributes significantly to this achievement with 22 cadets, comprising 16 from the Army wing, 3 from the Navy wing and 3 from the Air wing.

 Furthermore, two senior wing girl cadets from Mysuru have been chosen to be part of the cultural team and two cadets have earned the honour of being selected for the Kartavya Path Parade.