DEHRADUN: Among the newly ordained officers of the IMA, some belong to families engaged in farming. They told HT that they joined the army because of the hardships their parents are facing.

VINAY SANTOSH KUMAR/HT PHOTOSNewly commissioned officers celebrating after the passing-out parade at IMA, Dehradun, on Saturday.

Abhishek Kumar Singh, who won the gold medal at the IMA, is the son of a farmer Umesh Singh, a resident of Saida Jaskoli village in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. “My father did not want me to become a farmer. So, he got me admitted to the Sainik School, Ghorakhal, Uttarakhand, hoping that I would join the Indian Army,” said Abhishek.

Ravi Mullimani who won the silver medal, belongs to Yalawor near Bijapur, Karnataka. His father grows jowar and wheat.

He said, “Farming has become very difficult for the sons of farmers because of low profits and middlemen involved in it.”

Shishpal Singh Rawat, who belongs to Khuteda Valla village of Pauri district in Uttarakhand, said, “There is not much profit in farming due to absence of new technologies. We’ve seen hardships and I wanted to join the army to lead a better life.”