Harsimran Kaur from Haryana, daughter of a retired havildar in the army, on Thursday made history along with 16 other female cadets who graduated from the National Defence Academy (NDA) alongside over 300 men during the 148th passing out parade in Pune.

The first batch of women cadets joined the NDA in July-August 2022 as part of its 148th course. The convocation ceremony is widely known as the “cradle of leadership”, which provides officers to the army, navy and air force.

The NDA opened its doors to female aspirants in 2022 after the Supreme Court passed a landmark ruling in August 2021 allowing women to appear for the NDA and Naval Academy examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for entry into the prestigious tri-services academy.

NDA Commandant Vice-Admiral Gurcharan Singh on Thursday hailed the graduation of the maiden batch of female cadets and expressed hope that they would carve out names for themselves as exemplary leaders.

A total of 339 cadets, including the women, were conferred degrees from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Of them, 84 cadets were awarded the Bachelor of Science degree, 85 graduated in computer science, 59 received the Bachelor of Arts degree and 111 the Bachelorof Technology degree.

Sources in the NDA said the training was intense, including rigorous physical training sessions, drills and academics, and was designed to develop officer-like qualities (OLQs). The training regime was largely the same for both men and women.

Harsimran said: “My motivation to join the NDA was to start my military career early because I come from an armed forces background. My father retired as a havildar in the army. My grandfather also served in the army, so I have had a deep association with the defence forces.”

She said training instilled responsibility, teamwork and leadership.

“Our schedules were so tight that we had to manage our time judiciously. At times, it was overwhelming, but the academy teaches you how to balance physical and academic demands,” Harsimran said.

Another cadet, Shriti Daksh, who has an interest in artillery, will now join the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun.

“It runs in my blood — my father is a former NDA officer who retired from the Indian Air Force, and my sister also serves in the IAF,” she said.

Shriti said the Supreme Court decision to open the NDA gates to women was a turning point. “I seized the opportunity and joined the NDA. The academy gave me a plethora of opportunities. The games we played with fellow cadets helped us build a strong bond of camaraderie and spirit.

“When we arrived, separate washrooms and squadrons had already been built. Initially, we were integrated into the respective squadrons alongside male cadets. The training regime was largely the same. We did everything shoulder to shoulder for three years,” she said.