NDA: How "HOTEL" Squadron became "HUNTER"

Dear Brig Kamboj and Friends,
The immediate impetus for 'shooting out' this mail is a message which has come from brother, Kulbir Suri (of the King Sqn)to inform us that all the three four-star officers in our country will be from Hunter squadron of the NDA. I was in that squadron in my final term. But there is a story to tell. I think it must be placed on record for the benefit of the posterity. Here is what happened.
When the JSW was established in 1949, there were two squadrons: A and B. Then they raised two more in the second Bn, C and D. The next two were E and F. The next three were added on, one each to the three Bns. So we had A, B and G in first Bn C, D and H in second Bn and E, F and I in the third Bn. The phonetic pronunciations at that time were: Able, Baker, Charlie, Dog, Easy, Fox, George, How, Item, Juliet and King.
At this stage, a tenth squadron was raised. "Juliet" was not acceptable to the academy as the name for a Sqn. So it was skipped. The 10th Sqn, in No. 1 Bn was named King Sqn.
So far so good. Then in 1958 we got a new Commandant, Rear Admiral BA Samson. He decided to "rationalize" the squadrons. And so the names were changed. By that time, the phonetic pronunciations had also undergone a change. The new ones were, Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliet, Kilo etc. I was in Easy Sqn. The new name given to us was 'Hotel' The cadet appointed the SCC in our course was an enterprising fellow; and the undisputed topper in academics. (He had stood first in our entrance order of merit and retained his position all through the six terms) The squadron commander was also an Air Force officer. The SCC was able to prevail upon the Academy bosses to designate our Sqn as "HUNTER" Sqn. We got that name, and it has stuck! Thus while the famous "King" Sqn was reduced to "Kilo" we got a martial designation, "Hunter".
Our Squadron produced two successive gold medalists and two successive silver medalists. And now all the three chiefs are from that Sqn. I wonder if that could have happened if the name of the Sqn was "Hotel"! The name of the SCC who made the difference is JOSEPH THOMAS.
Three cheers for the HUNTER Squadron. Long live the Squadron spirit. In all humility, I must hasten to confess that as a cadet, I was never able to do anything worth the mention. But when the likes of KD were running on the field, I was never wanting in cheering them up. I shouted my throat hoarse, on more than one occasion.
God Bless the cadets of the Hunter Squadron.
Surjit
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)
PS
Thomas, Please correct me where I am wrong and join the dots to create the line. You have helped me all these 52 years. And so, please hold my hand as ever before! Raj Kadyan, You are the other one on whom I am banking to put the record straight wherever I am wrong. KD You have crossed seven seas. But in spirit you are with us!

Dear Surjit,
Thanks for the small historical note. And I'm delighted and honoured that all three chiefs will soon be from Hunter squadron. A few small clarifications and corrections:
Maybe Juliet was not acceptable to the academy as the name for a Sqn in the early days. However, I remember visiting NDA to see the 28th Course brother of my dear friend and course mate. At that time he was in Juliet sqn. But I'm glad to say that when we visited the academy in 2007, it was called Jaguar squadron. As far as I know, the squadron names were "rationalized" at the instigation of Wg Cdr MD "Macy" Khanna, then a Battalion Commander. He convinced the Commandant that "squadron spirit" should be replaced by "battalion spirit". Renaming the squadrons was part of this exercise. We also started having more inter battalion competitions.
It was bad enough being called 'Easy' squadron or 'Echo' squadron. But I couldn't imagine a squadron being called 'Hotel' squadron. ur squadron commander was from the air force only in the first term. After that the incumbents were Major Kothavalla and Major Khader Ahmed. And no, I did not ask anybody for permission to change the name to Hunter. I just used it while commanding the squadron on parade. Nobody objected.
At that time Hunter aircraft were new in India and there were two squadrons in Pune. They used to fly past at our POP and also break the sound barrier. I had the good fortune to fly the Hunter aircraft 11 years later. Three cheers for HUNTER squadron.
J Thomas

Dear General Surjit and Veteral Thomas,
Thank you for your fill-up on historicity. I join you in saying ;cheers' for the Hunter Squadron. Frankly, we inherited the word Hunter when we reached final term. I was not aware that Thomas had done it. He richly deserves the credit for this very inspiring change of name.
I agree with Thomas on the names of the Sqn Commanders. Throughout my six terms we had an Army Major head the Sqn. In my Division (14 with 'E' and 23 when name changed to 'H') we stared with a Naval DO but had an Air Force officer from our III term on. Flt Lts Mehta, Sandhu and Jog were there.
In our final term Brig Hoshiar Singh took over as Deputy Commandant. In camp Torna he tried a new experiment. In five days (the duration got reduced by a day due to visit of PM Nehru on 14 Mar 1961) we had to cover 125 miles with exercises and many competitions thrown in. It was so tiring that on return on Saturday we had a heavy lunch and slept through to Monday morning. The 'Hunters' proudly picked up the Torna championship banner.
Best regards,
Lt Gen (Emeritus) Raj Kadyan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
Chairman IESM