PANAJI
Captain Tejas Kovlekar from Ponda has been commissioned as a doctor in the Indian Army’s Remount Veterinary Corps, which manages the care and training of animals for the Army. Its motto is ‘Pashu Seva Asmakam Dharma’ “ ‘Service to animals is our duty’.
Tejas completed his training in May this year and joined as Captain in June. “Tejas loved animals since childhood,” said his father, Nitin Kovlekar, who works at Goa Dairy. His mother, Nikita, works in the PWD.
After his 12th at GVM College, Ponda, Tejas chose veterinary studies, surprising his family. He cleared the entrance test at Kankavli, where six of 135 students were selected. After graduating from a Mumbai college under Nagpur University, he aimed for the Army’s veterinary post.
The selection process was tough. “The test is held over five days without outside contact. Many try, but few are selected,” said Nitin. Though Tejas missed selection in his first attempt, he reapplied, cleared the test, and completed training.
Tejas is among only four Goans to join the Army’s veterinary corps and follows the path of Col Richmark Fernandes from Nuvem, who served as a UN peacekeeper in South Sudan.
