Pune Army institute revives injured ex-cadet’s dream to become a pilot

3 min readPuneJul 10, 2026 02:51 PM IST

Akireddy Sai Vedansh fractured his neck last year during routine training. While he did not require surgical intervention, he had to wear a neck brace that restricted his cervical spine movement.

Akireddy Sai Vedansh had only one dream–to be a pilot in the Indian Air Force. That dream came to an abrupt halt last year when a severe cervical vertebra fracture left the young cadet medically unfit to continue training at Pune’s National Defence Academy (NDA).

In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Army Institute of Technology (AIT), Pune, offered him a fresh start by admitting him directly into the second year of its BTech programme. Now, a year after the injury, with his neck brace removed and recovery progressing well, the 21-year-old is once again pursuing his ambition with renewed determination.

“I hope to appear for the Combined Defence Services examination after my graduation and secure a direct entry,” Vedansh said, refusing to let the setback define his future.

Coming from an armed forces family—his father is an officer—Vedansh grew up inspired by military life. “I had secured admission at NDA in 2024 and was pursuing a BTech in Applied Electronics and Communication,” he said.

A fracture and the end of a dream

The accident occurred in March last year. “It was a routine training. In the process, I fractured my neck,” he said. While he did not require surgical intervention, he had to wear a Philadelphia collar that severely restricted his cervical spine movement.

The injury made him medically unfit for the rigours of military training, and he was discharged from the Academy. It was a challenging time for the family, but the AIT stepped in.

The AIT is an engineering college affiliated to the Savitribai Phule Pune University and functions under the aegis of the Army Welfare Education Society. It admitted Vedansh under the ‘over and above’ seats provision in line with All India Council for Technical Education guidelines for genuine cases, after receiving approvals from various Army institutions.

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Major General Uday Shankar Sengupta (retd), Director of AIT, Pune, told The Indian Express that the initiative was a first for the institute. “AIT takes pride in being more than an academic institution—it is a community that values compassion and determination,” he said.

Despite the severity of his injury and prolonged hospitalisation, Vedansh completed all academic requirements for the second semester. “AIT not only gained a top‑scoring student, but his admission and successful completion of one year is a proud milestone for the institute,” Sengupta added.

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Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues .

Professional Background

Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature.

Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO.

Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives.

Awards and Recognition

Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.”

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Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership

Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions.

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