THE BEGINNING
The Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC), is an Inter Service Category 'A' establishment, administered through the Army Training Command (ARTRAC) under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Christened the Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College, it was inaugurated on 13 March 1922 by His Royal Highness, Prince Edward VIII, the Prince of Wales. It was then located on the premises of the erstwhile Imperial Cadet Corps (also called Rajwada Camp), set amidst 138 acres of lush green countryside, adjacent to Garhi Village in Dehradun Cantonment. During his Address to the first thirty-seven Cadets, the Prince of Wales said, "It is the first few blows on the anvil of the life that give the human weapon the set and temper that carry him through life's battles". The Prince also made reference to the old Indian tradition of 'Guru and Chela'. This relationship of mutual love and reverence has formed the rock bed of RIMC ethos.
HISTORY
RIMC has a long history and rich heritage. Over the years the College has produced many leaders of the society, both military as well as civil. These include four Chiefs of Army Staff and two Chiefs of the Air staff in India; one Commander-in-Chief of the Army and two Chiefs of the Air Staff in Pakistan; scores of officers of General/Flag/Air rank, Commanding Operational Commands, Fleets, Corps , Wings and Divisions and other distinguished appointments on both the sides of the border. Besides, many high ranking civilian dignitaries like Governors, Ambassadors, Ministers and Captains of industry have passed through the hallowed portals of the RIMC. Portraits of such luminaries adorn our walls at strategic places as inspiring beacons for young students of the day.
VISION
The purpose of this Institution was to provide Indian Boys with suitable education and training to ensure a high pass-rate for the Indians being sent to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, as part of the Indianisation programme of the Officer cadre of the Indian Army. RIMC was not, in fact, a College, but a pre-Sandhurst institution run along the lines of an English Public School. The British believed that to become an Army Officer, if an education in Britain was impossible, a Public School education in India was an absolute necessity. The British believed that a Public School education was particularly necessary for Indian Boys, whose upbringing made them suitable for the rigours and discipline of army life.
