As first women cadets graduate, father-daughter duo cherish Hunter Squadron bond of demanding regimen, pushing own limits

Indian Express

29-05-2025

ON THURSDAY when the convocation of the historic 148th course of the NDA which comprised the first batch of the women cadets, Division Cadet Captain (DCC) Shreeti Daksh, who topped the Arts stream at the National Defence Academy (NDA), and her father, retired Wing Commander Yogesh Kumar Daksh, cherished a special bond through the storied Hunter or 'H' Squadron of the tri services academy. Known for its extremely demanding physical training regimen, the Hunter Squadron was Shreeti's deliberate choice — a tribute to her father's legacy and a testament to her own resolve to take the tougher path.
On Thursday, a total of 339 cadets including the 17 female cadets were awarded their degrees and course completion certificates. DCC Shreeti stood first in the Arts stream with an Final Grade Point average of 7.5. Her family hails from Haryana but has been staying in Noida for some time now. She completed her schooling from DAV Public Noida. Shreeti who had scored 97 per cent marks in Class 10 and 99 percent in Class 12 from Commerce stream with Maths background, is now set to join the Army after she completes her pre-commissioning training at the Indian Military Academy Dehradun in the coming year.
Speaking to reporters after the convocation, Shreeti said, 'The training at the NDA was a mix of emotions. Initially it took some time for me to assimilate. And we did it gradually for which we had great support from instructors, support staff, faculty and the academy in its entirety. My father is an NDA alumnus from the 86th course Hunter Squadron. Which gives both of us an immense feeling of pride. My mother is a teacher. My sister is currently serving in the Air Force as a Flying Officer. So I am carrying forward the legacy of father and sister both. I would like to dedicate my achievement to my mother. She has always been there for me.'
Wing Commander Yogesh Kumar Daksh (Retd) — who is a helicopter pilot, retired from the IAF six years ago and now works in the private sector as pilot — said, Wing Commander Daksh, 'She specifically opted for the Hunter Squadron. We have to understand that Hunter Squadron is known to be a tough squadron specifically from the physical training part. The cadets here do a lot of PT as a tradition, which is much more than the mandated curriculum. PT is done here in the evening hours, even night hours sometimes. There are traditions of doing push ups and sit ups, basically to push one's own limits all the time. And she knew all this before making that choice. So you can imagine the grit she comes with.'
Speaking about Shreeti's journey of physical training, Wing Commander Daksh said, 'She did have a significant physical training background before coming here. The 2021 Supreme Court order came like a bolt from the blue. When she expressed the intent to join the NDA, I took her to a park near our house in Noida and asked her to jog or run. She could only complete a small distance. She promised me that she will practice. Within a month, she built up stamina manifold. With that dedication and progress, I knew that she could do this. From initial hiccups in doing push ups and pull ups, she has now built immense stamina for that too, living up to the Hunter Squadron traditions. I want to say that it's really about how much you want to challenge yourself and push your own limits. And she has done it repeatedly and successfully.' He added, 'I was not really good at academics, to be honest. She has broken that glass ceiling too, in a way, by excelling in academics.'
He added, 'I am feeling very proud that my younger daughter has also made it into the Armed forces. What is making me even happier is that she is doing it from the same Hunter Squadron, which I was part of more than 30 years ago. She has earned more laurels than me by topping the course in academics and service subjects. What more can a father expect?' Shreeti's mother Anju Daksh said, 'It is indeed a proud moment for me to witness my daughter's achievements. I would like to thank the entire NDA fraternity.'
At the NDA, the squadron system forms the backbone of cadet life, with each squadron having its own distinct identity, traditions, and spirit. These squadrons compete intensely across academics, sports, drill, and cultural activities, fostering a sense of pride, teamwork, and a relentless pursuit of excellence among cadets. In each term, a squadron is chosen as the winning squadron, after they are judged on a range of performance and discipline criteria. The NDA has 18 squadrons and the nomenclature is as per the NATO phonetic alphabet letters for Alpha Squadron, Bravo Squadron, Charlie Squadron, and so on.
Sushant Kulkarni is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express in Pune with 12+ years of experience covering issues related to Crime, Defence, Internal Security and Courts. He has been associated with the Indian Express since July 2010.
Sushant has extensively reported on law and order issues of Pune and surrounding area, Cyber crime, narcotics trade and terrorism. His coverage in the Defence beat includes operational aspects of the three services, the defence research and development and issues related to key defence establishments. He has covered several sensitive cases in the courts at Pune.
Sushant is an avid photographer, plays harmonica and loves cooking. ... Read More