Historic Milestone: First Female Cadets Graduate from India's NDA

In a landmark moment for gender equality within the Indian armed forces, the National Defence Academy (NDA) celebrated the graduation of its first batch of 17 female cadets. The historic convocation ceremony coincided with degrees being conferred to a total of 339 cadets, including 322 male counterparts.

Addressing the cadets, NDA Commandant Vice Admiral Gurcharan Singh lauded the pioneering female graduates, expressing optimism for their future contributions as leaders. This remarkable achievement follows a 2021 Supreme Court directive which opened the doors for women to apply to the NDA.

Chief guest Prof Poonam Tandon praised the cadets for reaching this milestone, especially acknowledging the female cadets as trailblazers for women across India. She emphasized their achievements as a testament to gender equality in service and leadership roles.

(With inputs from agencies.)