Photo Credit: Hindustan Times
In a moment that will go down in India’s defense history, Ishita Sangwan, a young woman from Charkhi Dadri district in Haryana, has emerged as one of the first-ever women cadets to graduate from the National Defence Academy (NDA). Her historic achievement comes as the NDA, India’s premier military academy in Pune, held its Passing Out Parade (PoP) for the first batch of women cadets on May 30.
According to a report by The Times of India, Ishita stood tall among 17 women cadets who completed the rigorous three-year military training, previously reserved exclusively for male aspirants. This batch graduated alongside 336 male cadets, marking a monumental shift in the gender landscape of Indian Armed Forces training.
“The parade was not just a passing out ceremony; it was a declaration of change,” said a senior officer from the NDA.
Ishita’s Journey: From Haryana to the Parade Ground
Ishita hails from Chhapar village in Haryana, a state that has often been in the spotlight for its skewed gender ratios. Yet, Haryana is now producing some of India’s most inspiring women officers. The 2021 Supreme Court ruling that allowed women to join NDA opened doors for Ishita and others like her to break into the once male-dominated space of Indian military leadership.
She joins a growing list of trailblazers, including fellow Haryanvi cadets Tamanna and Shreeti Daksh, the latter of whom topped the arts stream among the women cadets, as reported by The Tribune.
A New Era in Indian Military Training
This milestone comes at a time when the Indian government and Armed Forces are actively working toward increasing female participation in defense services. There are currently 121 women cadets under training at the NDA, and Haryana leads the count with 34 of them.
The first batch of women cadets underwent the same intensive training, physical drills, academic rigor, and leadership programs as their male counterparts, truly embodying the motto: Service Before Self.
Inspiration for a Generation
Ishita Sangwan’s achievement is not just a personal triumph—it’s a symbol of hope, courage, and changing times. Her story resonates with thousands of girls across India who now see the NDA as a gateway to their dreams, no longer bound by gender.
