Meet Colonel Sapna Rana: From Milking Cattles To Himachals First Woman Army Commanding Officer- Awarded With The Prestigious Sena Medal
Early Life And Challenges
Colonel Sapna Rana's story, which began with him tending cattle and walking halfway to college to save money, strikes a deep chord. Her career path appeared to be far removed from the disciplined world of the military. Her father Rajender Thakur is a teacher and her mother Krishna Thakur is a housemaker. She finished her education and graduated from Solan.
She served as the Senior Under Officer at 1 HP Girls NCC Battalion in Solan during her college years, which marked the beginning of her path to military excellence. She was an extremely disciplined and committed cadet. She was notably the only NCC cadet from Himachal Pradesh to be chosen for the esteemed Kargil Vijay Camp in the Kargil district.
A Career Marked By Excellence
Colonel Rana enrolled in the Officers Training Academy in Chennai in 2003 after passing the Service Selection Board, and she was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Indian Army in 2004. Commissioned into the Army Ordnance Corps in 2004, Sapna has held various prestigious appointments, including Commandant of the Army Ordnance Corps Centre and School.
She showed exceptional athleticism throughout her training, winning gold in obstacle course, cross-country, and Academy endurance training. She currently commands an Army Service Corps battalion in the Northeast, a feat that makes her the first woman officer from Himachal Pradesh to achieve this distinction.
Throughout her career, Sapna has been recognized for her exceptional leadership skills, strategic thinking, and operational expertise. She has been awarded the prestigious Sena Medal and the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card, and has also been recognized for her excellence in sports and shooting.
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