Gå ubegrenset med Magzter GOLD

Gå ubegrenset med Magzter GOLD

Få ubegrenset tilgang til over 9000 magasiner, aviser og premiumhistorier for bare

$149.99
 
$74.99/År

Prøve GULL - Gratis

The new vanguard: India's first women graduates from the NDA

The Daily Guardian

|

June 07, 2025

National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune since its establishment in 1954, witnessed a historic march on May 30, 2025, when the first batch of 17 women cadets alongside the 300 male cadets walked past the 'Antim Pag (Final Step) at the parade ground of the tri-services academy during the Passing Out Parade of the 148th course of NDA.

- COL DEV ANAND LOHAMAROR

The new vanguard: India's first women graduates from the NDA

This day marked not only a ceremonial triumph but a tectonic shift in India's defence establishment – the formal induction of women into the country's premier tri-service training institution.

FROM TOKENISM TO TRANSFORMATION:

India has gradually opened its armed forces to women since the late 20th century. Women were first inducted into the Military Nursing Service in 1958 and later commissioned as officers in non-combat roles in 1992. However, these roles were often framed as support functions.

Real transformation began with judicial interventions in the 2010s and was further propelled by sustained public discourse.

I remember when on August 13, 2021, in a nationally broadcast video conference, I urged Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to institutionalise gender parity in military recruitment and training, to which he responded positively.

National women President Bhootpurva Sainik Vikas Samiti Captain Amrit Kaur added further moral and strategic weight to the cause.

Their voices, amplified by media and civil society, catalysed the government's policy turnaround.

A Legacy Rewritten:

For over six decades, the NDA symbolised elite military training – exclusively for men. From 1954 until 2021, its gates remained closed to half of the nation's population. Women aspiring to become officers were relegated to other entry paths, primarily via the Short Service Commission.

This exclusion was not merely procedural; it mirrored deep-seated institutional barriers that equated leadership with masculinity.

DETAILED TIMELINE OF WOMEN'S ENTRY INTO THE INDIAN ARMED FORCES

1888 – Indian women were inducted into the Military Nursing Services, a legacy inherited from the British.

1950 – After the establishment of the Republic of India, it was recognized as a permanent and regular service in the Indian Army under the name Military Nursing Service (MNS).

FLERE HISTORIER FRA The Daily Guardian

The Daily Guardian

The Daily Guardian

BANU MUSHTAQ INAUGURATING DASARA IS RIGHT DECISION, PEOPLE HAVE ACCEPTED IT: SIDDA

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on londay strongly defended his government's decision to invite International Booker Prize winner writer Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate Mysuru Dasara, and said majority people of the state have accepted it, and it has brought respect for the state.

time to read

2 mins

September 23, 2025

The Daily Guardian

The Daily Guardian

BJP MP asks why loss making companies funding Kishor

BJP Lok Sabha member Sanjay Jaiswal levelled serious allegations against Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor, accusing him of raising crores of rupees through shell companies.

time to read

1 mins

September 23, 2025

The Daily Guardian

The Daily Guardian

Rajasthani traditions on a fasting plate - Wholesome Navratri delights

Navratri is not just a festival of devotion and celebration, but also a time of purification both spiritual and physical.

time to read

3 mins

September 23, 2025

The Daily Guardian

Congress to convene CWC in Patna on Sept 24

The Congress party will convene its Working Committee meeting in Patna on 24 September at Sadaqat

time to read

1 min

September 23, 2025

The Daily Guardian

The Daily Guardian

2 top Maoists killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh

Two top Maoist leaders carryinga bounty of Rs 40 lakh each in Chhattisgarh were killed in an encounter with security personnel in the state’s Narayanpur district on Monday, police officials said.

time to read

1 mins

September 23, 2025

The Daily Guardian

The Daily Guardian

GST 2.0 KICKS IN: GOVT SEES GROWTH, OPPOSITION DEMANDS APOLOGY

India rolled out GST 2.0 on Monday, slashing tax slabs to 5% and 18% in what the government calls a nationwide “Savings Festival.”

time to read

3 mins

September 23, 2025

The Daily Guardian

The Daily Guardian

Governing J&K today feels like walking a razor’s edge: Farooq Abdullah

National Conference President and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah on Monday likened the challenge of running the government in the Union Territory under current circumstances to “walking on the edge of a sword.”

time to read

1 min

September 23, 2025

The Daily Guardian

The Daily Guardian

Suspicious object near Dal Lake blown up safely

Security forces on Saturday carried out a controlled explosion to neutralise a suspicious object found near the banks of Srinagar's Dal Lake, one of the city's busiest tourist hubs.

time to read

1 min

September 23, 2025

The Daily Guardian

Air India crash: SC issues notice to Centre, DGCA

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Centre, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on a petition seeking a court-monitored, independent, and expeditious probe into the June 12 Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad.

time to read

1 min

September 23, 2025

The Daily Guardian

The Daily Guardian

Rishabh Pant set to miss India’s two home Tests against West Indies

India’s pugnacious wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant is set to miss the two-match home Test series against West Indies, commencing in Ahmedabad from October 2, according to ESPNcricinfo.

time to read

1 min

September 23, 2025

Listen

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size