First Woman Officer Cadet to Pass Out from IMA Inspires Pithoragarh Schoolgirls to Join Indian Army

Lieutenant Saee Jadhav, the Territorial Army officer who became the first woman officer cadet to train at and pass out from the Indian Military Academy (IMA), has taken her story to schoolgirls in Uttarakhand, using the occasion to encourage them to look at the Indian Army as a serious career option.

Lt Jadhav, who serves with the Territorial Army’s Ecological Battalion in the Kumaon Sector, met 30 girl students from Classes X to XII at Gangotri Garbyal Inter College in Pithoragarh. The outreach was held under the message “सशक्त बेटी, सशक्त भारत — कदम छोटे हो सकते हैं, सपने नहीं!” and was aimed at motivating girls at a decisive stage of their education to think beyond conventional career choices.

During the interaction, she spoke to the students about the different routes through which women can enter the Indian Army and explained the range of opportunities available to those who want to serve as officers. The session was designed to inform students about military careers as they begin considering higher education, competitive examinations and future professions.

The event also carried the message, “आज की प्रेरित बेटी, कल की वर्दीधारी नेतृत्वकर्ता”, reflecting the idea that early exposure, guidance and encouragement can help young women see themselves in leadership roles in uniform. For students in Classes X to XII, the timing was particularly relevant, as decisions taken at this stage often shape the next phase of their academic and professional lives.

Lt Jadhav’s own career has become a notable example of the expanding role of women in India’s Armed Forces. She created history by becoming the first woman officer cadet to undergo training at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun and to pass out from the institution, which had long trained only male officer cadets.

After her commissioning as a Lieutenant in the Territorial Army, she joined the 130 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) Ecological, Kumaon, based in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand. Her IMA training was especially significant because women officers in the Indian Army have traditionally received pre-commission training at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai.

Hailing from Kolhapur in Maharashtra and raised in Belagavi, Lt Jadhav comes from a family with a long military connection. She is the fourth generation in her family to serve in uniform, following her great-grandfather, grandfather and father, Major Sandeep Jadhav.

Her entry into the Territorial Army came through the selection process for the force. She reportedly topped the merit list for the single women’s vacancy in the selection she appeared for, before undergoing rigorous training at the Indian Military Academy and being commissioned as an officer.

For the students at Gangotri Garbyal Inter College, the interaction offered a direct look at military life from someone who had already broken a historic barrier. The 30 girls were able to hear first-hand about the discipline, preparation and determination needed to pursue a career in the Armed Forces, along with the opportunities now available to women in uniform.

The session also served as a reminder that joining the Indian Army involves much more than securing employment. It demands academic readiness, physical fitness, resilience, leadership qualities and a strong sense of responsibility towards the nation.

Women’s participation in the Indian Armed Forces has widened considerably in recent years, with service in a growing number of branches and appointments. New pathways, including entry through the National Defence Academy, have also opened up opportunities for young women to begin preparing for military careers soon after school.

For schoolgirls who may once have viewed the military as a largely male domain, Lt Saee Jadhav offers a visible example of what has changed. From becoming the first woman officer cadet to pass out of the Indian Military Academy to speaking with students in Pithoragarh, her journey reflects the broader shift in opportunities now available to women in India’s Armed Forces.

The Pithoragarh outreach therefore went beyond a routine career-awareness interaction. It linked the achievement of a serving woman officer with the aspirations of young students and carried a clear message: inspired daughters can become future leaders in uniform, and giving them the chance to aim high can strengthen the nation.