In A First, 17 Women Cadets Take Part In NDA's Passing Out Parade

The first batch of 17 female cadets graduated from the National Defence Academy (NDA), scripting history by marching along side over 300 male cadets during the Passing Out Parade this morning.

The women cadets joined the NDA in 2022, after a Supreme Court interim order allowed women to seek admission to the tri-services academy. Division Cadet Captain Shriti Daksh secured the highest rank in the Bachelor of Arts stream. Cadet Lucky Kumar, Battalion Cadet Captain Prince Kumar Singh Kushwaha and Cadet Captain Udayveer Singh Negi stood first in the Science, Computer Science and B. Tech streams respectively.

Ms Daksh told PTI, "The three year training here was a mix of emotions. Initially, it took some time to assimilate but gradually I got accustomed and assimilated into the academy with the help of instructors, staff. My father is also ex-NDA and from the Hunter Squadron. I am also from the same squadron. So I am carrying forward the legacy of my family."

Mr Kushwaha, whose father is an ex-serviceman, said the three years in the academy were challenging and taught him many life lessons which he will carry forward. On the admission of women cadets, he said he had witnessed the evolvement of the academy from being male-dominated to being an integrated academy one, adding "we are the ones who have who have seen the academy changing and evolving from the moon to sun".

Mr Kumar told PTI that he learnt several things, from swimming to horse riding to hockey, at the academy. "Before coming here, I did not know how to play hockey but by the last term, I was the captain of the hockey team and we won a trophy," he added.

Cadets were conferred degrees from Delhi-based Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Wednesday. Of these, 84 cadets were awarded BSc degrees, 85 received Computer Science degrees, 59 got Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees and 111 were conferred B.Tech degrees.

The Passing Out Parade of the 148th course of the National Defence Academy (NDA) was held on Friday at the NDA campus in Khadakwasla, Pune. The Reviewing Officer for the parade is General Dr Vijay Kumar Singh, Governor of Mizoram and former Army Chief. After passing out from NDA, cadets will proceed to their respective pre-commissioning academies: the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun for the Army, the Indian Naval Academy (INA) in Ezhimala for the Navy, and the Air Force Academy (AFA) in Dundigal for the Air Force.

Since 2022, 126 women cadets have joined the NDA across six batches (148 to 153), with five resignations reported so far. While the NDA maintains that training remains largely gender neutral, certain drills were adapted to account for physiological differences.