The state of Tamil Nadu has a fairly lower level of armed forces related interactions compared to other border states up north. And yet, the number of defence aspirants is rising here. In the series of inspiring youth we have interviewed, we spoke to a young lad Abikaran from Veerasigamani village in south Tamil Nadu.
Interestingly, the name Veerasigamani translates to “a brave and distinguished gem” — a name that perfectly reflects Abikaran’s spirit and ambition
Read how with dogged determination, he is on his way to become the first Indian Air Force officer from his village.
The Commune: Congratulations, Abikaran. Tell us a bit about yourself.
Abikaran: Thank you, I am Abikaran, a Mechanical Engineering graduate from Veerasigamani village in Tenkasi district. I completed my schooling in the same village and pursued my engineering degree at Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai. After college, I worked as a design engineer in a private firm. My father runs a car service workshop, my mother is a homemaker, and my elder brother is an engineer preparing for the UPSC.
The Commune: What inspired you to join the armed forces?
Abikaran: As a child, I was a big fan of movies, but everything changed when a close friend transferred to a Sainik School. Around that time, I also saw a documentary on the NDA in Class 9, and that really caught my interest. I learned that one could join the armed forces right after Class 12, and this friend explained the entire process to me. That sowed the seed, and I’ve been pursuing it since then.
The Commune: How did your family react when you told them about your decision to pursue a military career?
Abikaran: I first told them in Class 12, but back then I didn’t have full clarity myself. I even attended an interview then but didn’t clear it. Later, I told them I would continue trying after completing engineering. Since they had already seen my interest and seriousness, they supported me again. My parents viewed it like any other profession, though they hoped I would go for a safer stream like the Air Force instead of the Army. My brother has always been supportive – he’s passionate about uniformed services and is trying for the police force.
The Commune: You attempted the SSB 14 times. That’s extraordinary. Can you tell us about that journey?
Abikaran: I gave 11 SSB attempts; 8 times I was screened out, 3 times I reached the conference and was rejected. In my 12th attempt, I was finally recommended for the Air Force, and again recently, in my 14th attempt, I was selected. So I’ve been recommended twice. The journey began in 2023 and went on till December 2024. I went through screen outs in Bengaluru, Allahabad, and travelled long distances only to return without success. It was frustrating.
During one phase, I even doubted myself. At SSBs, officers advise candidates not to put all their eggs in one basket. That made me wonder whether I was truly cut out for this. But I told myself: this one will be my last attempt, and that’s the one I cleared.
The Commune: Tell us about your preparation strategy. How did it evolve?
Abikaran: I started preparing in Class 12 itself. I applied for NDA and technical entry. Though I wasn’t successful then, I did receive call letters for technical entry twice, for Bengaluru and Allahabad, but couldn’t attend the latter due to my father’s health at that time.
After college, I attempted the CDS and AFCAT exams multiple times. I cleared AFCAT thrice and got SSB recommendations twice. After engineering, I also applied through the Technical Entry Scheme and through the NCC Special Entry (I have a C-certificate and was in the Army wing).
The Commune: Did you prepare with friends or alone? And how did you discover Vizhi Awakening Trust?
Abikaran: I began studying on my own, with help from friends and YouTube. Coaching didn’t suit my work schedule. Around that time, a serving officer shared a flyer from Vizhi Awakening Trust. They run the “Naan Thalaivan Thittam” – a leadership development and defence prep programme for rural youth.
They selected me for the pilot batch, and it transformed my approach. Sessions were scheduled early morning and late night to accommodate working aspirants. The Trust brought in veterans who trained us in psychology, group discussion, general knowledge, and personality development. Commander Aravindan, in particular, mentored me deeply. The training sessions are predominatly online to cater to the students who are from all over the state, plus they may be working as well.
The Commune: Can you tell us more about Vizhi Awakening Trust and its work?
Abikaran: Vizhi Awakening Trust, founded in 2014, focuses on eliminating inequity in opportunity and mentorship between urban and rural youth. Their flagship initiative, Defence & Leadership Awakening Movement (DLAM), introduces students to defence careers, not just soldier entries but officer roles too.
They follow a 3-phase model: Awaken – Educate – Empower. Through workshops and direct mentoring, they’ve impacted over 15,300 students across Tamil Nadu. Their model addresses gaps in awareness, access, and mentorship. I was in their first batch with respect to Defence and Leadership, and now they have over 80–100 active aspirants under this, many of whom have been selected.
The Commune: How did you manage work and preparation together?
Abikaran: After college, I took up a full-time job, but defence was still my dream. My routine: I’d wake up by 4:30 or 5 AM, solve a mock test, analyze it, and head to work. During commutes and breaks, I watched news or educational videos. In the evening, I’d take another test. The Trust gave me a structured timetable, which was a game-changer. My day ended at around 11:30 PM to midnight.
For physical fitness, I did basic running on a local ground, as I didn’t have access to sports facilities. I didn’t play any sports during this phase, but I consistently practiced.
The Commune: What was your first choice among the three forces?
Abikaran: My first dream was to join the Indian Army, especially the Para SF. But over time, I became open to all three services. The mentors at the Trust also advised us not to limit ourselves to one force. When I got selected for the Air Force twice, I accepted it. My background in mechanical engineering helped me get selected in the technical stream.
The Commune: What role will you be performing in the Indian Air Force?
Abikaran: I’ve been selected for the Ground Duty (Technical Branch), specifically in Mechanical Engineering. I’ll be a Performance and Technical Officer. The training is 72 weeks – 6 months of basic military training in Hyderabad, followed by a year of technical training, which could be in either Chennai or Bengaluru.
The Commune: What advice would you give to defence aspirants, especially repeaters?
Abikaran:
- Consistency is key. Keep learning and improving.
- Understand the selection process thoroughly.
- If you’re a repeater, don’t get demotivated. Many of us succeed only after several attempts.
- Focus on correcting mistakes – often it’s small, silly errors that cost us.
- Be yourself in the interviews. Don’t try to imitate others. They select you for who you are.
The Commune: Was English ever a barrier for you?
Abikaran: Yes, I studied in a village school, so I wasn’t confident in speaking English. That cost me during the initial SSBs. I worked on it by practicing in front of a mirror, recording myself, and speaking regularly to improve fluency.
The Commune: How is your family feeling now after your success?
Abikaran: They’ve been my biggest support from Class 12 till now, that is over 6 years. My father always said he wanted one of us, either me or my brother, to become an officer. Now he’s proud and relieved that my hard work paid off.
The Commune: Are you the first Air Force officer from your village?
Abikaran: Yes, I’ll be the first Air Force officer from Veerasigamani. One person from here is in the Coast Guard, and a few seniors from college are officers in the Army and Air Force. But many people here don’t know about officer entries – most join as soldiers, even those with degrees. I hope more will learn about these opportunities.
Abikaran’s journey is not just about achieving a dream; it’s about owning your journey and showing up for yourself every single day. As the first Air Force officer from his village, he now stands as a role model for many others across Tamil Nadu’s hinterlands.
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