14/10/2026
India may not win as many Olympic medals as we would like.
But there is another international arena where our soldiers are competing with the best in the world and winning.
Yes, this is the toughest physical and mental competition in the world, & every Indian would be extremely proud that we have won Gold multiple times in previous years.
In this competition, every team of eight soldiers has to run a gruelling 65 kilometers cross-country (not on road/track) with a 32-kg backpack in less than 48 hrs. And you don't have the luxury of GPS/google maps; rather, you rely entirely on a map and compass (the old-fashioned way) to navigate your way forward.
The challenge isn't just about covering & navigating the distance. Along the route, the teams are constantly tested with intense, high-pressure drills such as executing casualty evacuations, navigating simulated chemical, biological, radiological, & nuclear (CBRN) environments, conquering river crossings & mine fields, and adapting on the fly to rapid-fire tactical scenarios.
Two decades prior, Capt. Prabhu & I experienced it firsthand, representing our battalion at a military patrol competition at formation level (loosely equivalent to state level in Civil).
The preparation itself pushes our physical and mental limits to the absolute edge. We realised that a team is as strong as the weakest man, and thus being weak is not an option.
Every decision requires absolute trust, sharp communication, and a shared commitment to the mission. Under this heavy physical & mental stress, true leadership and team spirit emerge.
What I remember most from participating in the competition was the last stretch of 5 Kms, when one soldier was extremely exhausted & dehydrated; the team took his 32 kg backpack, and a little later, another soldier carried him on his shoulder till the finish line. We won, but we knew then that there is much more to this victory than the medal itself.
That's why the news from Wales makes me so proud. Heartiest congratulations to the Rhinos of the Assam Regiment for winning the Gold at the Cambrian Patrol, competing against more than 100 teams from across the world.
Think about what that means. The preparation, the physical hardship, the tactical challenges, & the teamwork required to outperform some of the finest military teams in the world.
Our soldiers have done us proud. Behind that gold medal are years of preparation, countless hours of hard work, families waiting at home, & soldiers who push themselves beyond what they thought possible. Let's all congratulate the Assam Regiment for making India proud. Every time we see the tricolour victorious on foreign land, it swells our hearts.
The lessons I learned out there about resilience, grit, and adapting under pressure are exactly what we bring back to the table for every corporate L&D program we do at MilitaryToCorp Labs
Jai Hind! 🇮🇳
Pic Credit- ADGPI
