Defence Minister A K Antony collapsed during the passing out parade at the National Defence Academy (NDA) on Saturday, apparently due to exhaustion and dehydration. He was rushed to a military hospital from where he has been discharged. Antony was later shifted to Army’s Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi for further check-up. Doctors attending on him said there was no sign of heart trouble and the fainting spell seems to be induced due to heat and exhaustion. “All bodily functions are normal. We have run two ECGs, both are normal and his blood pressure is absolutely fine. He has been advised to take rest for some time,” NDA Commandant, Air Marshal TS Randhawa said. Antony fainted shortly after reviewing the parade and awarding medals to cadets during the passing out ceremony. He was prevented from falling off the dais by a military personnel who caught him in the nick of time. While the Minister insisted on staying on the dais after the first fainting spell, he had to be physically carried to his car after he lost consciousness once again. However, Antony recovered and stood on the parade ground till all cadets of the passing out course took the traditional last step out of the ground. He was then rushed to the NDA’s Military Hospital for an emergency check-up before being taken to the MH CTC. The Minister has had a hectic schedule in the past one week. He came back from a four-day tour to Berlin on Friday morning and headed for Pune the same night to attend the function. “He came to Pune late on Friday night at 11.30 and was briefed on the function. It was a long parade and yesterday’s travelling probably caused the dizziness,” Randhawa said. Earlier, the Minister looked tired and showed signs of discomfort while he was reviewing the parade. “There is no reason to worry as the Minister is now absolutely fine. Such incidents happen to cadets also due to heat and dehydration,” Col Deepak Bahadur, the Officer in Charge of the Military Hospital, said.
