Ahmedabad auto driver's son drives into NDA

As a teenager, Hemal Shrimali (18), a resident of Bapunagar, was felicitated by Vallabh Ramani, father of martyr Major Rishikesh Ramani, for his academic excellence who also motivated him to appear for exam of Sainik School at Balachadi.

Hemal not only passed the exam and became a student cadet, but also cracked the entrance exam for the National Defence Academy (NDA) in late 2021. He got into the prestigious NDA at Khadakwasla near Pune in the third week of February.

Hemal's father Mukesh is an auto driver in the city. The proud parent said that Hemal is the first in the family to don the uniform.

Vallabh Ramani remembers Hemal as a bright student eager to learn and prove himself. "He was among the students we had felicitated for academic excellence when he was a kid. But he would ask many questions, and would soak all about defence in. Even after his admission at Balachadi, he remained in touch and would visit our office where we have kept Rishikesh's uniform and other memorabilia," he says.

Mukesh Shrimali told sources that Hemal faced many hardships including language barrier. "He was a Gujarati medium school till class V. Thus, when he got into Sainik School, he could not assimilate seamlessly in CBSE curriculum. But his zest was so strong that he would keep a pocket dictionary with him even when he would be on the sports field and learn a few words."

"He comes from a humble background, and never complained about any problem or desire for things boys of his age would demand for," he says. "In the past few years, he has shown the drive to be an Indian Army officer, and we are sure that wherever he would go and whatever he would do, he would make our family and our city proud," he says.