EXCLUSIVE: First batch of women officers from NDA share their journeys, aspirations

KHADAKWASLA

They arrived not with fanfare, but with grit stitched quietly into their hearts. On a platform at Pune railway station, 19 girls in civilian attire assembled after stepping off long-distance trains—duffel bags in hand, nerves tight and eyes wide with the anticipation of history,” wrote Major General Sanjeev Dogra (retd), who was deputy commandant and chief instructor at the National Defence Academy from November 2021 to June 2024. The piece, titled ‘When they marched in: A chronicle of NDA’s First Daughters’, commemorates the arrival of the first batch of women cadets at the tri-service academy in July 2022.

On arriving at the NDA in Pune’s Khadakwasla, the women cadets were assigned to the Romeo Squadron (squadron names are in alphabetic order, starting with Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta; Romeo is the 18th squadron). “Enhanced lighting, secure fencing, designated lady duty officers and minor layout changes were not signs of separation; they were signs of a thoughtful institution preparing its daughters for battle, not merely hosting them,” wrote Maj Gen Dogra. “Behind the scenes, months of preparation went in, security protocols were redefined, a new code of conduct evolved and traditions long steeped in male-only legacy were modernised without losing their essence. From day one, the message was clear: The academy was not making exceptions. It was making history.”

Of the19 women cadets, one had to leave because of medical reasons. Another quit. The 17 women, most now 21 years old, who remained will graduate alongside more than 300 men as part of the NDA’s 148th course. Their journey, which will see them join the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force as commissioned officers, began in 2021, when a landmark interim order by the apex court struck down a long-standing exclusion as “discriminatory” and opposed to the right to equality. Till then, the NDA had groomed generations of men to be military leaders through its rigorous training in physical endurance, discipline and tactics.

When THE WEEK visited the NDA ahead of the historic convocation and passing out parade, set for May 29 and May 30, there was palpable pride and anticipation in the air. The sprawling green campus was alive with activity, despite monsoon coming too soon. Banners were being strung and rehearsals in full swing. There was a feeling that the imminent momentous occasion belongs not just to the 17 cadets, but to the nation at large. The inclusion of women cadets in the NDA is more than a milestone; it is the start of a new chapter in the story of India’s armed forces. Divisional Cadet Captain (DCC) Shriti Daksh summed it up: “When I walk alongside my male peers, I am not just competing with them. I carry the hopes of thousands of young women who dream of serving their country.”

In candid conversations with THE WEEK, five of the 17 women cadets shed light on the rigours of training, camaraderie and competition at the academy, and their path to the NDA.

We first met them outside the iconic Sudan Block, named in honour of the sacrifices of Indian soldiers in the Sudan theatre during World War II. They stood in a neat row outside the block’s grand doors, clad in jungle fatigues, batons in hand, donning caps, proud and poised. They interviewed with noteworthy discipline. Each cadet entered the room one by one, as the others waited outside in a line. While waiting, they did not talk, nor did they look around. They simply looked straight ahead.

“It is now in our ethos,” said DCC Harsimran Kaur. “They used to say the academy turns boys into men, now they’ll say how it turns girls into women. We are examples of such a transformation.” Kaur, who is from Punjab’s Gurdaspur, was preparing for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), for admission to engineering courses after her Class 12, when the NDA opened to women. Given that two generations of her family had served in the armed forces, she changed focus. As a six-star torchie, she is one of the standout performers of her batch. Torchies are cadets rewarded for their academic performance across the six terms. “There were 19 of us, 14 ended up as torchies,” she said. She also added that around 60 to 70 per cent of their cohort cleared M1, the first mandatory PT test, in one go.

Ishita Sangwan, whose family has roots in Haryana, but is settled in Rajasthan, was the youngest among the women cadets. She joined as a wide-eyed 16-year-old. She said her younger brother, 17, is following her path. The 19-year-old, who grew up as a tomboy, had not considered a career in the armed forces. But, as she was preparing for the JEE in Kota, Rajasthan, her father, a school principal, called her and told her that girls were now eligible for the NDA exam. On sensing her father’s excitement, she decided to try out for the NDA, too.

She juggled her board exams, JEE mains and NDA preparation simultaneously, using her academic proficiency and mathematics skills to crack the written test. With no one from a military background to guide her—her mother, too, is an academic—Sangwan relied largely on the internet to prepare for the Services Selection Board interview. As it turned out, she not only cleared the SSB interview, but also cracked the Computerised Pilot Selection System to qualify for the flying branch of the Air Force. Sangwan, who once wanted to become an IAS officer, now dreams of being a fighter pilot and is looking forward to service-specific training at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, Telangana.

Sangwan and the other cadets have gone through a testing three years to be where they are now. Days at the NDA begin at 5am with the morning muster, followed by recitation of the honour code and the religion-neutral NDA prayer. Next is rigorous physical training, including drills, followed by academic lessons. Apart from this, there is sports in the evenings. This is followed by a two-hour study period, dinner and then lights-out at 10:15pm.

Women undergo the same intense physical drills, lessons and tactical training as men. Both endure long runs, obstacle courses, tactical exercises and every other such drill which tests the limits of their potential. These activities build their physical strength as well as belief. The subjects covered range from international relations to military history, physics to geopolitics and foundation-level knowledge of all three services. The cadets can secure degrees in a variety of disciplines (awarded by the Jawaharlal Nehru University). They are also groomed on ground, living under canvas, rationing biscuits, learning navigation and surviving on cold meals. Also, they are expected to submit their phones when they arrive. They get them only during term breaks.

“It is intense, but it shapes you,” said Daksh, who has roots in Haryana, but lives in Noida. During the entire interview, her posture did not droop even once. Daksh was pursuing an undergraduate degree at the Shri Ram College of Commerce and planned to join the Air Force via the Air Force Common Admission Test, like her sister did. “But NDA it was,” she said. Given that her father, a retired wing commander, is a former NDA cadet, she wanted to be part of his legacy. So, upon clearing the NDA entrance exam, she applied for a ‘parental claim’, which allowed her to be posted to her father’s squadron, the Hunter Squadron (the first batch of women cadets were initially lodged separately, but were later integrated with the squadrons). “It is known to be one of the toughest squadrons,” she said with quiet pride. “But I would not have it any other way.” During Daksh’s SSB interview, when the interviewer learnt that her father was in the Hunter Squadron, he asked which squadron she would want to join if she got selected. “I said ‘Hunter, of course,’” said Daksh. “He looked me in the eye and said, ‘Don’t join. You will suffer forever.’ I was startled, but I told him: ‘Now, I definitely will.’ I could see he was proud.”

For Battalion Cadet Captain Ritul Duhan, SSB selection was more about personality than preparation. “You can’t fake it,” she said. “They’ll know. The SSB is about who you already are—your personality shaped over 18 years.” One question she got asked was whether she had ever lied. “I told the truth, even about the small lies,” she said. “I kept wondering whether I should have said that. But, that is how it works; you just have to be yourself.” Duhan, who hails from Haryana, will go down in history as the first woman to be appointed battalion cadet captain in the NDA (a battalion comprises multiple squadrons). She comes from a modest family based in Hisar—her father is a small-time contractor and her mother a home-maker. She has a younger brother, who is in Class 10. She said he looks up to the person she has become now. “He sees the confidence, the physical strength and leadership in me and yes, patience, too,” she said. “I have become much calmer now.” Duhan studied BTech as an Air Force cadet and also learnt French. A national-level athlete, she won five golds in the gruelling 14km cross-country runs, held in the NDA once a term.

Ishita Sharma, who hails from Uttarakhand, is from a non-defence background (both her parents are corporate employees). She applied to the NDA on a whim after seeing a newspaper advertisement. “After I cleared the written exam, I went to Bhopal for the SSB interview with my father,” she said. “My father had only booked the hotel room for one day thinking I might get rejected early. But I stayed all eight days and cleared it.”

Once at the NDA, one of the first major changes in the transformation of these cadets to future officers is that there heads are shaven. “May be for the first month, I missed going to the salon or dressing up,” said Daksh. “But now, this feels fancier than any haircut I have had. It is striking and makes me feel like I belong.” Public perception sometimes does not catch up as quickly. She remembers an outing. She was wearing jeans and a T-shirt and that combined with her hair prompted someone to try to stop her from entering a women’s restroom. “We just laughed,” she said. “That incident, strangely, made me feel even prouder. We have our own identity.”

Duhan vividly remembers the moment her hair was cut. “We had heard rumours, so we were somewhat prepared,” she said. “But, afterwards, we could not recognise ourselves.” Over time, she came to see it as a necessary change. “It saves time,” she said. “You barely get any for yourself here, and instead of managing my hair, I could be resting or studying. It makes sense.” The haircut has not dulled her sense of style. “I am still a girl,” she laughed. “My hair does not define my personality. I wear what I like and look confident and pretty in it.” Was she someone who enjoyed dressing up and styling herself earlier? “Yes, I was,” said Duhan, adding that she was just more confident and practical now. “The haircut sets us apart and makes us stand out,” she said. “When I went home, my parents were surprised, but they understood.”

Sharma echoed Duhan. “Before the NDA, I was very fashionable,” she said. “I had long hair down to my waist. But I was mentally prepared for my hair to be cut. The schedule here is so tight; I get only 10 minutes for breakfast. So, it was a practical change. Now I don’t have to spend time tying my hair and can focus on other tasks.”

The NDA has also opened the world to these women. Kaur said that before joining the academy, she did not know about sailing as a sport. Now, she has earned a merit card in it and has also competed against and defeated cadets from the Indian Naval Academy. It made her opt for the Navy as her choice of service. She is confident on horseback and in public speaking. Kaur, who studied BTech in applied electronics and communication, said women cadets had excelled in public speaking and had “outperformed” the men every single time.

Likewise, at the NDA, Sangwan quickly transformed from a sprinter who dreaded long-distance running into a two-time cross-country medallist. “Before this, I had only done 100 and 200 meters,” she said. “Here, endurance is everything.” She has completed runs of up to 45km. “We train together, guide the juniors, boys and girls alike,” she said. But, some physical standards have to be different. “Their muscles develop faster,” said Sangwan. “That is physiology.” As a result, ranking or scoring criteria is different. For instance, during cross-country races, both men and women start together and finish at the same point, but men are ranked according to the time of the first man who finished and women are ranked based on the time of the first woman to finish. Similarly, women can pass by doing less strenuous PT compared with men. “We have physical differences,” she said. “We have to acknowledge those differences. We are doing same amount of PT, same number of hours, but as their muscles develop faster, there are these differences in standards.”

Kaur said life at the NDA changes your mannerisms and mindset. From struggling with time management in the early days to mastering it across academics, physical training and co-curriculars, all cadets agreed that the rigour of training has made them resilient and focused. “You need laser-sharp focus, but you adapt,” said Kaur. Duhan learnt volleyball, squash and other sport. “These are not just for fitness; they build team spirit,” she said. “When we join our units, we’ll play these with the troops.” In fact, Sharma said that she has been transformed from being a “quiet introvert”. “I did not have many friends,” she said. “But, here I made friends who are like family.” She scored a grade point average of 7.8 in BSc chemistry at the NDA, but that was always going to be the easy part for her. The physical aspect was more challenging. She has excelled at that too, overcoming obstacles like push-ups and rope climbing and then excelling in Torna—an eight-day tactical camp where cadets learn defence strategies like trench-digging, patrolling, ambush planning and preparation for sudden attacks. She was DCC for the Kilo Squadron that recently won the Torna camp competition.

Sharma has also excelled at the Josh Run, a 40km run through hilly terrain, during which cadets carry a 13-14kg backpack, rifles or even light machine guns. “It takes about 12 hours and tests one’s physical and mental strength,” said Sharma. During one such Josh Run, Sharma recalled how one of her course mates was dehydrated and they got him to rest, hydrate and bounce back. “You learn to care for each other,” she said. “Not everyone is strong in everything, so you compensate and support.”

There was no difficulty adjusting when the first batch of women cadets was shifted from their special section to regular squadrons. For instance, Kaur now lives in Panther Squadron alongside male cadets, with “plenty of privacy and safety including separate wash rooms, tea room, luggage room and an orderly who stays nearby”. All of the women cadets said they appreciate the camaraderie, regardless of gender. “We have squadron socials where officers and cadets dine and chat, movie nights on weekends, even outings. We all gel well,” said Kaur, who manages long-distance communication with her boyfriend, a tech student in Bengaluru, through a limited weekly calling system cadets are given access to.

After the newer batches joined, all squadrons have one woman cadet from each term. The dynamic between the women and men is a cross between competition and camaraderie. While Kaur recalls an example of the former, Daksh remembers an instance of the latter. “There was a drill where we had to climb a 15-foot rope,” said Kaur. “Many boys struggled, but I made it up on the first try. The look on their faces was priceless.” Daksh says that when she injured her ankle during an exercise, some boys immediately helped her, carrying her gear and encouraging her. “It showed that, despite the competition, bonds of respect and friendship do develop,” she said.

When parents visited, they saw a transformation few could have imagined. “The girl who left home was gone,” wrote Maj Gen Dogra. “In her place stood a cadet, taller, steadier, sharper in salute, firmer in values. For parents, what began in apprehension ended in admiration. Even the sceptics among the veterans now salute the progress. The system worked. The girls adapted.”

So, how has the NDA transformed them? Dramatically, they said. “If I walk into a room full of people, I can tell within minutes who an NDA cadet is,” said Kaur. “I have gained immense confidence, general awareness and knowledge about the military and world affairs. I can now hold my own in any conversation.”

What stands out in conversation with these women is the remarkable clarity with which they speak. There is no rhetoric, only lived experience. They speak of empowerment and opportunity in the same breath as they speak of their homes, their fears and their fight to belong. And through every story runs one unshakeable belief: gender is not a barrier, it is a state of mind.

Now, as they look forward to joining their services, they have put a stopper in talks about marriage by having an open discussion with their loved ones. What emerged was consensus that marriage can wait till 27-28. Looking ahead, Duhan is clear that she wants to opt for a permanent commission in the Air Force. “This is what I want to do for the rest of my life,” she said. Indeed, most of the women cadets want to get permanent commission.

Some of them do feel that they will have to “obviously work twice as hard”. Sangwan said that because the field is male-dominated and women do not have representatives, their point of view may be “less valued”. “So, rules, regulations, anything that affects you will be considered less,” she said. “But, we are the ones who will go ahead and be part of all of it and then make a change. This is what NDA has taught me so far. I see more women in decision-making roles now. Maybe tomorrow, it will be us.”

As the NDA builds a narrative of societal change by breaking entrenched gender norms and making India’s armed forces more inclusive and representative, continued policy evolution and cultural acceptance remain crucial for women to thrive fully across all branches of the armed forces.

Behind every woman cadet is a story of family support and evolving societal norms. The first batch of women at the NDA stands as a bridge between the past and the future, not only carrying forward a storied legacy but redefining what it means. Kaur expressed the collective hope of the NDA’s soon-to-be first batch of women officers: “We are paving the way for the next generation of women officers.”

On May 30, 2025, they will step onto the Khetarpal Parade Ground for one final time. The chief guest, flanked by the NDA’s top brass, will salute as the cadets march past. There will be no special mention, no gender distinction. Just a uniform stride.

FINISHING TOUCH

After graduating from the National Defence Academy (NDA), cadets move on to specialised pre-commission training at one of three service academies depending on the force they have opted for.

INDIAN MILITARY ACADEMY (IMA), DEHRADUN

Located at the foot of the Himalayas in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, the IMA is where Army cadets receive their service-specific training before being commissioned as officers into the Army. The one-year training transforms the cadets into frontline army leaders through rigorous training in tactics, weaponry, field craft, counter-insurgency, and live-fire drills, and prepare for commanding troops in varied terrain and conflict zones.

INDIAN NAVAL ACADEMY (INA), EZHIMALA

Located on the Malabar coast in Ezhimala, Kerala, the INA is the world’s largest naval academy on 2,500 acres. The training is for a year and the focus is on seamanship, navigation, maritime warfare, oceanography, naval engineering, ship-handling and simulators. INA cadets train on real ships as well as in simulators and war games.

AIR FORCE ACADEMY (AFA), DUNDIGAL

At the AFA in Dundigal, near Hyderabad, Telangana, air warriors undergo specialised training to prepare for careers in flying, navigation, ground duties, and air traffic control. This is also for a year and the focus for flying cadets is on aerodynamics, aviation medicine, flight simulators, and aircraft handling, while for ground duty cadets it is on meteorology, air traffic control, radar systems, and logistics. Flying training is conducted on Pilatus PC-7 Mk II aircraft and simulators. The AFA sharpens the discipline of flight, high-altitude physiology, and decision-making at 30,000 feet.