Siddhi Jain: India’s First Woman to Claim the NDA President’s Medal
In a landmark moment for the National Defence Academy, Cadet Siddhi Jain has created history by becoming the first woman to win the prestigious President’s Medal at the academy’s 149th Passing Out Parade. Her achievement has not only established her as the top-performing air cadet of her course but also reshaped the aspirations of countless young women who dream of a life in uniform. More than a medal, it symbolises a shift in India’s military narrative, one where women are no longer exceptions but emerging leaders.Breaking Barriers at the 149th CourseThe atmosphere at the parade ground carried the weight of history as 329 cadets marched out, including fifteen women from the academy’s second female cohort. Among them, Siddhi stood as a symbol of the possibilities that open when courage outruns doubt. Two women had topped the academic stream in earlier courses, but none had reached the overall order of merit. Siddhi became the first. The President’s Medal placed her alongside the best of the best, a position traditionally dominated by men. Siddhi’s path to the NDA is not the usual story of a childhood dream moulded into a military career. She was preparing for IIT-JEE in Kota, a place where engineering aspirations are shaped with discipline as rigid as the NDA’s drill grounds. She secured a strong rank, earned admission to an NIT and was headed toward a future that promised stability. Yet, the comfort of an engineering life could not compete with a desire that had quietly begun to take shape in the skies. Siddhi chose the Air Force. To choose differently meant disappointing expectations. To choose the uniform meant rebuilding herself from scratch. Her first attempt at the NDA ended in rejection at the SSB stage. It was the kind of moment that forces many to step back. Instead, she stepped forward.What is the President’s Medal?The President’s Medal is the highest honour given to cadets at the National Defence Academy. It recognises the best-performing cadet in the overall order of merit, considering academics, military training, leadership qualities, and officer-like skills. Winning this medal means the cadet has not only excelled in exams and physical training but also shown outstanding discipline, courage, and dedication. It is a symbol of excellence, honour, and a promising future as an officer in India’s armed forcesRebuilding Herself at Centurion Defence AcademyAfter her first setback, Siddhi approached Centurion Defence Academy in Lucknow, a decision that would transform her confidence and direction. Under the mentorship of Defence Psychologist Shishir Dixit, she learned to understand both her strengths and her fears. The training demanded discipline, emotional self-awareness, and the ability to withstand repeated failure. Clearing the NDA exam on her second attempt became a defining moment, the beginning of a three-year journey that would test her in every possible way academically, mentally, physically and emotionally. The academy that once felt unreachable became the place where she discovered who she truly was. The NDA’s first term is notorious for breaking down even the strongest cadets. Siddhi remembers it as the toughest phase of her life. Days began before sunrise, routines pushed boundaries and expectations never loosened. Yet, term after term, she outperformed herself. Her parents, both teachers, had once imagined her in a lab or an engineering office. Watching her transform into a cadet who thrived in one of the world’s most demanding military academies filled them with pride and disbelief. A Landmark Moment for the NDA and for IndiaSiddhi’s achievement arrives at a crucial time in the NDA’s history. Women were only inducted starting from the 148th course, and the journey toward equality has been one of steady progress. Earlier, women had topped academic streams, but the overall merit list remained untouched. Siddhi changed that narrative. Her President’s Medal is more than an award; it is the first crack in a wall that once seemed unbreakable. Her presence on the merit podium sent a message across the academy grounds: performance knows no gender, only effort. With the NDA chapter behind her, Siddhi now moves to the Air Force Academy in Dundigal for her final phase of training. Her dream is clear: to become an officer who carries discipline with humility and courage with responsibility. She hopes to inspire young girls to pursue defence careers with confidence, reminding them that dreams do not need to be practical; they only need to be powerful. For girls watching from small towns, for parents who once believed the military was not a place for their daughters, and for every young aspirant preparing for entrance exams, Siddhi stands as proof that the most extraordinary victories come from choices that challenge the ordinary.A Story Larger Than One CadetFrom Ujhani in Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun district to the grounds of the NDA, Siddhi’s journey reflects the hopes of a new India. Her story is one of academic brilliance redirected toward national service, of failure transformed into resilience and of a young woman proving that the sky is not the limit but the place she belongs. India will soon salute her as an Air Force officer. But for many, she has already become something great.
