Girl cadets of NCC horse riders rehearse for Independence Day parade at Mahatma Gandhi Marg in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 12: The spirit of Olympics seems to have rubbed off on many young girls in the capital.

They are eager to make their presence felt this Independence Day as swashbuckling mounted cadets during the parade.

Twenty-year-old Soumya Saraswata, a final-year student of Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, is not only excited about taking part in the parade, but also feels an inner sense of achievement in doing so. “When I started horse riding, people criticised me, saying it was not meant for girls. But my family always stood by me. They understand that I am passionate about the sport, which needs bravery and physical fitness,” said Soumya, who will be participating in the Independence Day parade for the second consecutive year.

The girl had bagged a silver medal in last year’s Republic Day camp of National Cadet Corps (NCC) in dressage competition, where she had to guide her horse through a series of complex manoeuvres.

“The thrill of riding a horse is unparalleled. This is one sport that makes you mentally and physically tough. To pursue any dream, a lot of hard work and dedication is required. More girls should come forward and join the squadron,” she said.

Along with Soumya, four other women cadets from the Remount and Veterinary (R&V) Squadron of NCC would flaunt their equestrian skills on the occasion. The four others, who would ride horses in the parade, are new to the R&V wing. Rashmita Behera of Maharshi Women’s College, Priyadarshini Das of Kamala Nehru Women’s College, Hena Sahu of Devrai College and Manaswini Das of City Women’s College joined last year.

These girls will be seen riding five of the 10 horses that will take part in the parade. Cadets have to follow a strict practice session everyday. For this year’s Independence Day, the cadets are being trained since March.

They are taught how to handle the horses and develop a bond with the animals. They are expected to understand the psychology of the horses before riding them in a confined area with a sand cover of four to five inches.

“One has to love animals to take up the sport. Initially, it was scary but after regular practice, things started falling in place,” said Rashmita.

The R&V wing of the NCC was set up in 1969 and since then horse riders have been taking part in various parades such as Independence Day, Republic Day Camp and NCC Day. Every year, nine to 11 horses participate in the Independence Day parade in the state capital.

Associate NCC officer and assistant professor of College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry Sudesh Kanungo said they have been conducting various camps throughout the state to encourage youths to take up horse riding. “Students from outside OUAT are also eligible to be a part of the wing. More girls should join NCC,” said Kanungo.