The first-ever batch of 17 women cadets at the National Defence Academy (NDA) in Khadakwasla, Maharashtra, will graduate on May 30. Among them, eight cadets have chosen to join the Indian Army and will undergo a year-long training at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun before being commissioned as officers. This historic step marks the first time in the IMA’s 93-year history that women cadets will be inducted. The women cadets are part of NDA’s 148th course, alongside over 300 male cadets who will also participate in the ceremonial Passing Out Parade, known as the Antim Pag.
Since the Supreme Court’s 2021 directive to open NDA admissions to women, 126 female cadets have enrolled in the academy, beginning in 2022. Of those, five have left the course. Cadet Harsimran Kaur, from Haryana and from a military family, is set to become a division cadet captain and shared her transformative journey at NDA, noting the physical and academic challenges that shape cadets into leaders. She will proceed to the Indian Naval Academy for further training.
Other cadets like Shriti Daksh and Ishita Sharma, also division cadet captains, shared similar stories of determination and discipline. Daksh, the daughter of a former NDA officer, trained equally alongside male cadets and now plans to join the Artillery. Sharma emphasized the unity and equal opportunities the women cadets experienced throughout their time at NDA. Their experiences reflect a broader cultural shift within the armed forces, as women now participate in rigorous military training previously reserved for men.