On June 13, the hallowed parade ground of the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun will witness a moment that will be etched in Indian military history. For the first time in its 93-year existence, the academy will commission women cadets trained for permanent service in the Indian Army.

Eight pioneering women cadets will take the iconic ‘Antim Pag’ or final step alongside their male counterparts during the Spring Term 2026 Passing Out Parade, officially becoming Lieutenants in the Indian Army.

Four Years of Grit, Discipline and Determination

The journey of these young women began in 2022 when they became part of the first-ever batch of women admitted to the National Defence Academy (NDA) in Khadakwasla after a landmark Supreme Court ruling.

Over the next four years, they underwent rigorous military training designed to test their physical endurance, mental resilience, leadership abilities and combat readiness. The first three years were spent at the NDA, followed by a year of advanced officer training at the IMA.

Like every officer passing through the academy’s gates, they endured demanding schedules, obstacle courses, tactical exercises and leadership challenges, proving they belonged among the finest future leaders of the Indian Army.

A Victory Decades in the Making

The achievement is the culmination of a long journey for women in India's armed forces. Women first entered military service in India through nursing roles in the late nineteenth century. The first Indian women nurses joined in 1914, and in 1958 women doctors were granted regular commissions in the Army Medical Corps on terms equal to men.

A major shift came in 1992 when women officers were inducted into non-medical streams under the Short Service Commission. However, opportunities remained limited. The landscape began to change dramatically after a series of landmark legal victories. In 2020, the Supreme Court directed that women officers be granted permanent commission in the Army. A year later, another historic ruling opened the doors of the NDA to women aspirants seeking a long-term military career. 

The eight women graduating from the IMA are among the first beneficiaries of those transformative decisions.

Following the Path of Trailblazers

While this is the first batch of women cadets for permanent commission to pass out from the IMA, another milestone had already been achieved in 2025.

Lieutenant Sai Jadhav became the first woman officer to graduate from the IMA when she completed training for the Territorial Army. An MBA by qualification, she was commissioned into the 130th Ecological Battalion of the Kumaon Regiment.

Now, the new batch of women Lieutenants is set to take that legacy forward on an even larger scale.

A New Era for the Indian Army

The graduation of these eight women officers reflects the Indian Army’s evolving character and its commitment to providing opportunities based on merit and capability. Today, women serve in nearly all arms and services of the Army, contributing as leaders, strategists, engineers, aviators and administrators. Their growing presence is reshaping perceptions and inspiring a new generation of young Indians to dream bigger.

As the parade ground echoes with marching boots and the newly commissioned officers take their first steps into military service, they will carry not just stars on their shoulders but the aspirations of countless young women across the country.