7 Books That Capture Life and Leadership at the Defence Training Academies

Written by Shivam Sharma, a cadet at Punjab’s Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (MRSAFPI), a.k.a. the “mini-NDA,” From Boots to Brotherhood captures the first steps into a service life.

The book reflects not only the honour, discipline, and determination of AFPI cadets but also the memories, hardships, and lifelong bonds of brotherhood that shape their remarkable journey into the military.

Buy here: From Boots to Brotherhood: Cadets, Camaraderie and Chronicles

Boots, Bonds and Belly Laughs by Avnish Sharma reveals the lighter side of soldiers and cadets in training academies as they endure punishing drills, impossible routines, and grow into the tough, disciplined warriors the nation relies on.

Packed with real-life anecdotes, the book delivers stories full of camaraderie, pranks, shared punishments, and laugh-out-loud moments that only military life can produce.

Buy here: Boots, Bonds and Belly Laughs

If you have ever known a cadet or an Army officer, you have probably seen that delightfully crazy and lighter side behind the sharp discipline. This book by Maj Gen Anil Sengar captures that spirit exactly. It dives into the tough, chaotic, and exciting life of cadets at the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy as it truly happens.

For soldiers, it feels like a nostalgic trip down memory lane. For civilians, it offers a lively glimpse into military humour and life in training academies.

What happens when four close friends leave their sheltered, comfortable lives and walk into NDA expecting only spit, polish, and parade ground perfection? Boots Belts Berets by Tanushree Podder follows their six gruelling terms packed with challenges, punishing routines, and the Puttie Parades.

Through sweat, setbacks, shared punishments, and small victories, their friendship deepens into a lifelong bond. Boys are forged into men of honour, courage, and character, which defines the NDA experience that many admire.

If you like what you read in Boots Belts Berets, Tanushree Podder doubles down on the drills, drama, and daredevilry in academy life in On the Double.

Set in the Indian Military Academy, this book captures the next phase of transformation as cadets edge closer to becoming officers. Following Pessi, Maachh, Porky, Sandy, and Zora, the story brims with humour, chaos, and youthful bravado that keeps both readers and their Company Commander on their toes. It is a warm, quirky coming-of-age tale of young dreamers, ready to take on their future as sentinels of the nation.

Coming from someone who has lived the life at NDA and IMA, Grit, Guts and Gallantry tells the story of former Colonel, Mahip Chadha, from the Second Battalion of The Third Gorkha Rifles. He cuts through the myths surrounding Army life, presenting a fun mix of its clear, often harsh realities along with the masti, adventure, and spirit that define it.

Perfect for anyone seeking an honest and realistic view of defence academies and the military life that young generations aspire to lead.

Young boys, barely out of school, are thrust into a gruelling military routine where every move is watched, and every mistake invites swift punishment. This is life at the NDA, where strangers are shaped into brothers for life.

Academy: Bonded for Life by Rohit Agarwal offers a light-hearted yet deeply authentic account of this journey, where friendships are forged on concrete floors in the battalion area of NDA and sealed over shared Swiss rolls at the café. From the nervous first day to the pride of the Passing Out Parade, the book captures the full spectrum of NDA life—a transformative experience that prepares cadets to face any challenge, in uniform or beyond.

These books show how young aspirants enter defence academies driven by love for the nation, and how academy life shapes them through brotherhood, leadership, discipline, relentless drills, shared hardships, and unmistakable fauji banter. These lessons do not stay behind on the parade ground—they become a way of life carried into service and beyond.

Together, these titles offer a vivid glimpse into the making of officers at India’s premier defence academies, where raw youth is forged into calm, confident warriors the nation can rely on.

Next time, you meet a person in uniform, ask them about their academy days and watch their eyes light up with stories of friendships, punishments, triumphs, and moments that shaped them forever.

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