Marudhara Defence Academy

Out here in Lachhmangarh, Sikar, we have this place set up for young people who want to get into the defence services. It’s not a fancy school with air conditioning. It is a lot of outdoor space and some basic rooms for studying. Marudhara Defence Academy is more about hard work than anything else. We start early in the morning when it is still a bit cool outside. You can hear the boots hitting the ground from quite a distance away. The dust gets everywhere, but that is part of the training. We aren't trying to impress anyone with big buildings. We just use what we have here in this part of Rajasthan. The instructors are local guys who know what it takes to get through the exams and physical tests. It’s a quiet town most of the time, which is good for focusing. Sometimes parents come by to check on their kids, and we sit on plastic chairs and talk about their progress. It’s a very direct way of doing things. No one is here for a vacation. We provide a place to sleep and a place to train. That is about it. People know where we are in Lachhmangarh. We’ve been doing this for a few years now. It feels good to see the students move on to better things. We just stay here and get the next group ready for whatever comes next. It is simple and tough work but it needs doing.