Centurion Defence Academy’s 18th Raising Day

It was raining that morning. The weather wasn’t cooperating. But not a single student stayed away. That one detail says a lot about the mood in Lucknow on the day Centurion Defence Academy celebrated its 18th Raising Day, “Badhte Kadam”. Starting with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony and running well into the evening, the event brought together army generals, IPS officers, a Deputy CM, an Olympic medallist, a celebrated lyricist, and hundreds of young aspirants who share just one dream: the uniform.

The Beginning: "Tamso Ma Jyotirgamay"

The day opened with the customary lamp-lighting ceremony, joined on stage by retired Major General Shami Sabharwal, Group Captain A. Basu, Lieutenant Colonel Aditya Buddhiraja, Lieutenant Colonel Amit Srivastava, and Lieutenant Colonel Pranav Chakravarty. A soulful Saraswati Vandana and Ganesh Stuti performed by students set a devotional tone right from the start.

Shishir Dixit Sir’s Story: From a Small Village to Thousands of Homes Across India

Chairman and CMD Shishir Dixit spoke about how he started Centurion Defence Academy in 2008 after coming from a modest village background. After more than a decade of service in the Air Force, he decided on one mission: every young Indian, regardless of background, deserves an equal shot at wearing the uniform.

Today, Centurion runs centres in Lucknow and Dehradun, has a team of 250+ experienced mentors, and sees an average of 3-4 young officers get selected into India’s armed forces every week. AIR 1, 2, and 3 in NDA 155, and 6 of the top 10 ranks in NDA 156 — these aren’t just numbers; they’re proof of a decade and a half of relentless work.

Dixit also shared a moving story of a little bird whose tree caught fire. When the poet asked why it didn’t just fly away, the bird replied: “This is my duty, to burn with it.” That line became the quiet thread running through the entire day: commitment, no matter the circumstances.

A Star-Studded Line-up

Big names kept walking onto the stage all day long, making this Raising Day one to remember:

Major General Shami Sabharwal and Major General A.K. Chaturvedi reminded the youngsters that a uniform isn’t a fashion statement; it’s a responsibility.
IPS officer Akhilesh Kumar Nigam (IG CID, UP) had the crowd both laughing and reflecting with his interview anecdotes, especially his formula P = C x Q x C (Personality = Curiosity × Confidence × Character).
State Minister Asim Arun traced his journey from the police force to politics, and used the Yaksha-Yudhishthira dialogue from the Mahabharata to explain why saving a life while in uniform is the greatest virtue of all.
Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya invoked Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s legacy and assured the students, “The government stands with you, always.”
Member of Parliament Dr. S.P. Singh Patel gave the students his “Five Ds” mantra: Direction, Dedication, Determination, Discipline, Deadline.
IAS officer Arun Prakash offered a beautiful line built around the day’s theme: “One step can begin a journey. One journey can build a career. And one career can serve the nation.”

Vijender Singh: The Olympic Medallist's Knockout Line

The energy in the room peaked when boxer and Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh took the stage. His message was blunt and memorable: “Motivation lasts a day. Discipline lasts forever. Motivation doesn’t get the job done; discipline does.” He spoke candidly about his early struggles studying rival boxers’ videos in cyber cafés because there was no YouTube back then, and skipping family functions and weddings for years to chase his dream. He also fielded a string of questions from students about how to deal with failure, how to handle injuries, and how to break free from the pull of mobile screens.

Manoj Muntashir: Tears and Pride in Equal Measure

Lyricist Manoj Muntashir Shukla’s session was arguably the most emotional part of the entire day. He walked the audience through chapters of Indian history that rarely make it into textbooks: the invention of zero, the word “democracy” appearing in Kalidasa’s ancient work, the science behind Ayurveda and yagnas. He closed with the song “Mitti Ke Bete,” a tribute to fallen soldiers, which left the entire auditorium visibly moved. It was during this segment that the father and brother of martyred Lieutenant Shashank Tiwari (Kirti Chakra) were honoured on stage.

Comic poet Sarvesh Asthana lightened the mood with his sharp wit, while the three SSB mentors on the panel Lieutenant Colonel Aditya Buddhiraja, Group Captain Arnab Basu, and Lieutenant Colonel Amit Srivastava broke down how the SSB process really works, through what they called “mansa, vacha, karmana” the psychology test, the interview, and the GTO tasks three different lenses that together reveal a candidate’s true personality.

The Real Heroes: Students Who Lived the Dream

But the heart of the day belonged to the recommended candidates Shivam Kumar, Divyanshu Patel, Kushagra Nigam (who finally cracked it on his 8th attempt), Sanyukta Singh (who came from a civil/law background and still cleared the SSB), and many more. Every story was different: one from a small village in Bihar, another from Jaipur, another from Mirzapur. The parent interviews were just as moving: one father shared how he distributed sweets in his village the day his son got recommended, while a mother recalled how her son left home to begin his preparation on the very day of his board exams.

SRNTH Results and a Big Announcement: Centurion Comes to Delhi

The event also saw the felicitation of toppers from Shishir Rameshwar National Talent Hunt (SRNTH) 2.0 the winner walked away with a cheque of ₹1 lakh. And in a big reveal, the academy announced a new Centurion Defence Academy centre opening in Delhi, meaning aspirants from Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan won’t have to travel all the way to Lucknow or Dehradun anymore.

Veer Puraskar: Saluting the Quiet Heroes

The stage also honoured personnel from the police, fire brigade, NDRF, and SDRF who risked their own lives to save others, whether it was fighting a fire in Lucknow, pulling two young girls out of the Yamuna, or rushing to help an elderly woman who collapsed on a railway platform.

In the End...

The day’s rallying cry never stopped echoing “Badhte Kadam.” From the morning rain to the evening’s cultural performances (a show celebrating Uttar Pradesh’s culture, a Shiv Tandav, and a skit on “Operation Sindoor”), one message kept repeating itself: no matter how tough the road gets, the steps must never stop moving forward.

As it was put on stage: “Storms may rage, trouble may pour down; we don’t know how to stop. Moving forward is who we are.”

18 Years Completed. The Journey Continues.

Eighteen years is indeed a great achievement and one that should be celebrated.

However, when it comes to an institute dedicated to training its young students to become future officers, the million-dollar question is: What next?

And the answer to that lies in evolution!

The defence examination process is evolving. The expectations from aspirants are evolving. Today’s students have more information available to them than ever before. All they require now is proper guidance and an atmosphere wherein they can become a better version of themselves.

This is where the next phase of Centurion’s story is set to unfold.

Badhte Kadam is not a retrospection into the journey that we have completed. It is a retrospection into our journey, filled with pride and determination to move ahead.