50th Anniversary of the Officers Training Academy, Chennai 7.3.2013

The Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai was established on 1^st January, 1963 as a premier military institution to provide pre-commissioning training to the civilians inducted in the Armed Forces.

The OTA was initially known as Officers Training School (OTS) and was one of the seven establishments raised to meet the demand for officers at the time of national emergency declared during Chinese aggression. The sudden increase in the demand for officers gave birth to two Officers Training Schools, one each at Pune and Madras(now Chennai). While the school at Pune was closed in 1964, the one in Madras (Chennai) continues to function. On completion of 25 years of its existence, OTS was re-designated as OTA on 1^st January, 1988.

The headquarter building of the Officers Training Academy is popularly known as “White House“. The history of the building can be traced back to the nineteenth century. The neo–classical style building was constructed in 1861 and was used as the headquarters of the Madras Presidency Army. It is here that the institution infuses key leadership elements in young men and women.