17 women graduated from NDA in May: Defense minister
Big news for the Indian Armed Forces—17 women recently graduated in May this year from the National Defence Academy (NDA) for the very first time.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called it a "historic moment for the country" during his 'Sandesh to Soldiers' address, saying this marks real progress toward equal opportunities in defense.
Women were allowed into NDA after a 2021 Supreme Court ruling
Women were only allowed into the NDA after a 2021 Supreme Court ruling, which opened doors for them to join training with their male peers starting in 2022.
Since then, they've made waves: Lt Cdr Dilna K and Lt Cdr Roopa finished an epic 25,600-nautical-mile Navy expedition, and an all-women tri-service team sailed 1,800 nautical miles internationally.
The NDA now trains men and women together as part of its push for true gender equality.