26-05-2025
NDA's first batch of women cadets to pass out with 300 male cadets on May 30
On May 30, history will be made at the National Defence Academy (NDA) as 17 women cadets graduate for the first time alongside over 300 men during the 148th Passing Out were first admitted into the NDA in 2022 after a landmark Supreme Court ruling in 2021 paved the way for their entry into the prestigious tri-services the 17 is Harsimran Kaur from Haryana, who will become a division cadet captain before heading to the Indian Naval Academy.'My motivation to join the NDA was to start my military career early because I come from an armed forces background. My father retired as a havildar in the Indian Army. My grandfather also served, so I've had a deep association with the defence forces,' said remembers her first day vividly: 'I was awestruck to see the Sudan Block, the other buildings, squadrons, and the old cadets marching out.'THE ACADEMY THAT PUSHES YOU TO BREAK AND BUILD AGAINKaur said the training was intense: 'There is a saying -- the academy first breaks you and then makes you. It happened with me and with every cadet, male or female. The rigorous physical training sessions, drills, and academics are all designed to develop Officer-Like Qualities (OLQs).""Our schedules were so tight that we had to manage our time judiciously. At times, it was overwhelming, but the academy teaches you how to balance physical and academic demands," Kaur added that training has instilled responsibility, teamwork and CADETS TRAINED SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH MENAnother cadet, Shriti Daksh, also became a division cadet captain and will now join the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, with an interest in Artillery.'It runs in my blood -- my father is a former NDA officer who retired from the Indian Air Force, and my sister also serves in the IAF,' she said the 2021 Supreme Court decision opening NDA to women was a turning point. 'I seized the opportunity, joined the NDA, and made my parents proud. The academy gave me a plethora of opportunities. The games we played with fellow cadets helped us build a strong bond of camaraderie and spirit.''When we arrived, separate washrooms and squadrons had already been built. Initially, we were integrated into respective squadrons alongside male cadets. The training regime was largely the same. We did everything shoulder to shoulder for all three years,' she STANDARDS FOR FUTURE WOMEN OFFICERSKaur, speaking about their responsibility as the first batch, said, 'Since I am from the first batch, we must set standards high enough for junior cadets to emulate. That is my biggest aspiration right now, to set a benchmark they can follow.'On future improvements, she added, 'We've been informed that the academic schedule is being realigned according to the new technical specifications under the National Education will help us gain more technical knowledge relevant to our respective wings.'advertisement(With PTI inputs)
