Out here life is tough. Plenty tough. You are here for just 42 days -- but man, those 42 days are sheer torture. Pure agony.

First they will take you apart. Bit by bit. They will kill your spirit. Crush it to death. They will stretch your endurance. On the rack. Make you realise you aren't half the soldier you thought you were. That you are weak. And can't take 40 kilometres with an 18.5 kilo backpack in your stride. That you are scared. And would think thrice before freefalling 16.5 metres.

That you are almost as bad as a civilian, dammit!

Then they will start piecing you together. Give you endurance. Make you earn it. The hard way. Inject confidence into you. Teach you to kill efficiently. With a flick of your wrist. Teach you to master your fear. To push it away and function as if it didn't exist. Make you realise the power of the mind over body. That you are as brave as you believe you are. That you can take punishment without flinching. Can work under pressure without crumbling.

Here at the Army's Junior Leaders's Commando Training camp, Belgaum, arguably one of the finest in the world, they turn boys into men. Rediff On The NeT's Chindu Sreedharan and photographer Jewella C Miranda report how.