From TCS to Indian Navy: Amethi’s Garima Singh Fulfils Her Dream of Wearing the Uniform

Sub Lieutenant Garima Singh from Bhawani Nagar, Tiloi, in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi district, has been commissioned into the Indian Navy on October 23, 2026, completing a journey shaped by education, professional experience, family sacrifice and a long-standing tradition of service to the nation. Her commissioning is also a deeply personal milestone for a family that has already seen one child serve in the Indian Army and a father serve in the Border Security Force (BSF).

Garima’s entry into the Navy adds a new chapter to a household already closely tied to the uniformed services. Her elder brother, Major Kumar Vikram Singh, is a serving officer in the Indian Army, while their late father, Shri Hari Shankar Singh, had served in the BSF. With Garima now commissioned, the family has two siblings serving as officers in two different branches of the Indian Armed Forces, carrying forward a legacy that began with their father.

A family shaped by service and loss

The story behind Garima’s commissioning is inseparable from the family’s experience of loss. Shri Hari Shankar Singh passed away in 2020, leaving behind his wife and two children. His service in the BSF had already embedded a strong sense of duty within the family, but his death meant that he would not be present to see either of his children wear the uniform as commissioned officers.

After his demise, the family’s mother, a homemaker, became the anchor for Garima and her brother. Despite the emotional and practical challenges of losing her husband, she continued to support both children and their ambitions. The achievement of seeing her son and daughter serve the nation in uniform stands as a powerful reflection of that support and perseverance.

For a family with only two siblings, both reaching the status of commissioned officers is a particularly significant outcome. It is the result of years of effort, discipline and resilience, as well as the sacrifices made behind the scenes by their parents.

From TCS to the Navy

Garima’s path to the Navy also stands out because it took her from a corporate career into military service. A Computer Science engineering graduate, she had been working with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), one of India’s leading IT companies, before deciding to join the Armed Forces.

Rather than continuing in the corporate sector, she chose the uncertainty and discipline of a life in uniform. She entered the Indian Navy through the Short Service Commission (SSC) Information Technology entry, a specialised route designed for qualified technology professionals who can contribute their expertise to the service.

Her training began at the Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala, Kerala, and continued at INS Valsura, one of the Navy’s important training establishments. The process culminated on October 23, 2026, when she was officially commissioned as Sub Lieutenant Garima Singh.

Her journey shows that a career in the armed forces is not limited to those who begin preparing for it immediately after school. With the right academic background, commitment and willingness to take on a demanding new role, professionals from other fields can also find a place in the services.

Two siblings, two services, one family legacy

For Major Kumar Vikram Singh, his sister’s commissioning is both a personal and professional moment of pride. He is already serving as an officer in the Indian Army, and Garima’s commissioning means the siblings now share the responsibility of military service, albeit in different branches.

Together with their late father’s BSF service, the family’s story now spans three uniforms: the Border Security Force, the Indian Army and the Indian Navy. While the roles differ, the common thread running through all three is service to the country.

According to the family’s account shared with SSBCrack, the occasion carries special emotional weight because it comes after the loss of their father in 2020 and the years in which their mother continued to support both children through their respective journeys.

For the siblings, the commissioning is more than a career achievement. It is also a tribute to their father’s legacy and to the strength of the family that raised them.

An example for young women from smaller towns

Garima Singh’s story is likely to resonate with many young women across India, particularly those from smaller towns and rural backgrounds who aspire to join the armed forces. Coming from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, earning an engineering degree, working in the private sector and then securing a commission in the Navy, she has shown that background and geography need not define career possibilities.

Her path also highlights the range of opportunities available in the Indian Navy beyond conventional combat roles. As technology becomes increasingly important to modern military operations, specialised entries such as the SSC Information Technology route provide space for trained professionals to contribute in technical domains.

For women preparing for defence careers, Garima’s achievement offers a clear example of what can be achieved through preparation, discipline and the willingness to make difficult decisions. It also reflects the role of family support in helping aspirants pursue demanding goals.

A legacy carried forward

The most moving element of this story is perhaps the sense of continuity it represents. Shri Hari Shankar Singh had served the nation through the BSF, but did not live to see his daughter’s commissioning. Six years after his death, both of his children are now serving as officers, extending the family’s connection to the country’s uniformed services.

With Major Kumar Vikram Singh in the Army and Sub Lieutenant Garima Singh in the Navy, the Singh family now represents service across two branches of the Armed Forces, following an earlier generation that served in the BSF. The family’s journey is marked by loss, but also by resilience, sacrifice and determination.

Garima Singh’s commissioning as a Sub Lieutenant is therefore more than the beginning of a naval career. It is the continuation of a family tradition built on duty, strengthened by a mother’s perseverance and carried forward by two children who chose to serve the nation in uniform.