They
came from far and wide. More than 800, just to share their nostalgia. They
included Olympians, Dronacharya and Arjuna awardees and
former commandants. To receive them was a large number of officers, JCOs
and other ranks and their families. They were getting together for the
third time at the Pune-based Army School of Physical Training (ASPT). The
reunion coincided with the 57th raising day of the Army Physical Training
Corps.
The curtain came down on the two-day reunion and
raising day festivities with a grand finale. The motorcycle display by the
Tornadoes from the Army Service Corps, who have already carved a
place for themselves in the Guinness Book of World Record for
carrying the largest human pyramid of 115 men on one motorcycle for a
distance of 600 metres, made the occasion memorable.
Another
highlight was a seminar on "Management of Physical and Recreational
Training with a view to improve the Physical Fitness standard of all ranks
in the Army". Experts from both the Army and civilian side took part
in the seminar. Lt Gen Satish Satpute, Chief of Staff, Southern Command
was the chief guest at the valedictory function.
Prior to 1947, there were three separate schools of
physical training in India-Pune, Lucknow and Ambala. The Central Army
Physical Training School at Ambala was moved to Pune in 1947 and was named
as Army School of Physical Training. Today, the school is considered to be
the cradle for physical and recreational training. It conducts courses in
physical training, sports, coaching and martial arts. Officers, JCOs and
NCOs of the Army, paramilitary forces and those of friendly foreign
countries attend the course. Extremely fit and dedicated soldiers from the
school are posted to training centres, precommission training
establishments like NDA, IMA and OTA, Sainik Schools and Military Schools.
