Chetwode Salutes Its Daughters
By Brigadier Sarvesh Dutt Dangwal (Retd)
Some events do not merely occur; they become history.
The 13th of June 2026 will be one such day.
Nestled amidst the serene valleys of Dehradun, the Indian Military Academy (IMA) has, over its glorious 94-year history, dedicated countless military leaders, war heroes, and distinguished officers to the service of the nation. The hallowed Chetwode Parade Ground has witnessed thousands of young cadets take the “Antim Pag” (Final Step), embarking upon careers that would later be marked by courage, sacrifice, and exemplary leadership on the battlefield.
This year, however, the scene will be different—so significant that history itself may pause to take note.
For the first time, eight women cadets, having successfully completed the rigorous four-year integrated training programme of the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the Indian Military Academy, will march across the Chetwode Parade Ground and take their “Final Step” as commissioned officers in the Indian Army. This moment will represent far more than the commencement of eight military careers; it will symbolise a long and determined journey through which India’s daughters have challenged convention and demonstrated their courage, competence, and unwavering resolve.
When the Indian Military Academy was established in 1932, few could have imagined that one day India’s daughters would march across this very parade ground with the same pride, discipline, and military bearing that generations of male officers have displayed before them.
Yet history is never gifted; it must be earned.
The journey of these eight young cadets has been far more than a course of military training. It has been a test of body, mind, and spirit. The training at the NDA and the IMA is widely regarded as among the most demanding military training programmes in the world. Long-distance runs, cross-country races, obstacle courses, tactical exercises, field craft, night training, weapons training, and the relentless demands of military discipline are enough to test the endurance and determination of any young individual.
The physical challenges were real. Nature has designed men and women differently. Differences in muscular strength, skeletal structure, and biological requirements present women with additional challenges. Yet these cadets were held to the same expectations as their male counterparts. They were granted no special concessions, assigned no separate standards, and subjected to no diluted tests. The benchmark was one, the expectations were one, and the examination was one.
But the true battlefield of military life lies not in the body, but in the mind.
These young women had to overcome not only the rigours of training but also the lingering prejudices that have, for centuries, existed within societies and institutions. “Can women lead soldiers?” is a question they must have encountered repeatedly. Their answer did not come through argument or rhetoric; it came through performance. They proved that leadership is not a matter of gender but of character, and that courage is not a function of physicality but of conviction.
Today, the Indian Army stands at an important moment of transformation. The Army has always placed merit, discipline, and duty above all else. In keeping with this ethos, opportunities for women are no longer opening gradually but are being expanded with determination and purpose. Women officers today are leading in challenging operational environments and delivering exceptional performance. The first batch of women officers graduating through the NDA route is perhaps the most powerful symbol of this transformation.
The achievement of these eight cadets is not merely a personal success. It is a victory for the dreams of thousands of young girls across India—girls in villages, towns, and cities who aspire to wear the uniform and serve the nation. It is a triumph of the faith shown by parents who offered their daughters opportunities rather than limitations. Above all, it is a victory for a nation that has come to recognise a simple truth: ability has no gender.
Adding further distinction to this historic occasion is the presence of Her Excellency the President of India, Droupadi Murmu. As the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, she will review the Passing Out Parade. The convergence of India’s second woman President and the first NDA-trained women officers of the Indian Army carries a profound symbolic message—that India’s democratic and military institutions continue to advance toward greater equality of opportunity and respect.
When the boots of these eight young officers strike the Chetwode Parade Ground for the final time as cadets, and they take the “Antim Pag” into commissioned service, they will be doing far more than observing a military tradition. They will be opening a new chapter in India’s history.
At that moment, the timeless words of Chetwode will seem to acquire a renewed meaning: “The safety, honour and welfare of your country come first, always and every time.”
Before these words, there is neither man nor woman; neither distinction nor privilege. There is only a soldier—dedicated to the nation, loyal to duty, and steadfast in honour.
Years from now, when the history of the Indian Army is written, 13 June 2026 will not be remembered merely as another Passing Out Parade. It will be remembered as the day when the Indian Military Academy, for the first time, sent forth its daughters into the service of the nation.
And perhaps, on that day, the Chetwode Parade Ground itself will seem to proclaim with pride: “Today, history marched in step.”
Jai Hind.
(Brigadier Sarvesh Dutt Dangwal (Retd) served in the Indian Army for 37 years and has extensive experience in military training and physical conditioning. He writes on issues related to military leadership, training doctrine and institutional development within the Armed Forces.)
