Book Review: “Boots Belts Berets”: An Insider into NDA

Boots Belts Berets is a novel written by Tanushree Podder. This novel is a like a few pages tour into the life of NDA. Though different people have different views on the book, I found it to be simply good. Anybody who is interested in joining this prestigious institution would love to read this. The alumni might be reluctant to read it as they have already experienced the real stuff there. This book offers a great account of the life and style in NDA. The book starts with a candidate reporting to the reception at Pune Railway Station. This book holds the account of the first day at NDA to the POP. It’s commendable ,the way the author has described each and everything that take place there. The feelings of the candidates as a first termer, the growing confidence as a second termer and the feel of being a boss in the academy towards reaching the sixth term has been shown wisely.

People who never get a chance to live the life a candidate in NDA, would certainly love reading this book, as they can feel that they are the protagonist of the book. The book involves the reader in such a way that the reader will feel that he is somewhere in the academy, he can feel the everything that goes inside  the mind of Pessi, Bertie, Randy and Maach (the four central characters in the story). NDA is not just six terms of putti parades, ragda or punishments, it’s about living a life after which you fear nothing and your body can endure anything.

The four characters find the training regime hard in the first term, but get used to with time. Then it becomes a part of their life and they miss it even when at home. The days of separations from family, severe restrictions on all possible things, the enthusiasm with which they count DLTGH(Days Left To Go Home), make the readers wonder what it would really be to live the life of an NDA cadet. However they realize at the end that no matter how many punishments they have been through, how many restrictions they have been through, they’ll miss the academy and every part of it. They realize that the will to serve the country can never be beaten by anything, in fact punishments only make you strong. No amount of punishment and tough training can put down their spirits because the love for uniform, the love for that badge and the love for the passing out parade will always boost their energies up. They develop a bond for life, united by their common experiences. This quote in the book best describes their feeling at the time of POP “Its one of the nature’s ironies, when you can’t get away, you want to; and when they let you go, you just don’t want to anymore”

After reading the book the reader will feel that NDA is all about pushing your limits, until they become norm. There are very few books that describe the academy life, so this book is a must read if you want to peep into the life of a NDA Cadet. Happy Reading!