Major Rishabh Singh Sambyal Reveals Why He Quit Indian Army After 12 Years on Raj Shamani Podcast
Major Rishabh Singh Sambyal has spoken publicly for the first time about why he took premature retirement from the Indian Army after serving for around 12 years, saying the move was the hardest decision of his life and was driven primarily by family responsibilities and changing personal circumstances.
In a recent podcast conversation with Raj Shamani, Major Rishabh addressed the speculation that has followed his exit from the Army. He said the decision was not impulsive and was made only after months of reflection, during which he weighed what he would be leaving behind against what he wanted to do next.
Major Rishabh said he spent nearly four months quietly considering his options before deciding to seek premature retirement. He described the period as one that forced him to think carefully about both his obligations at home and the future he wanted to build after leaving military service.
Family responsibilities drove the decision
The officer made clear on the podcast that family commitments were central to his choice. Military life often comes with long separations from home, frequent transfers and the expectation of complete dedication to duty. In his case, he said, circumstances changed in a way that made it difficult to continue balancing service commitments with family needs.
He ultimately chose to prioritise his family, even though it meant stepping away from a career he had built over more than a decade. His comments also reflect a broader reality for many armed forces personnel, who often have to make difficult personal sacrifices while serving the country.
For an officer who had spent around 12 years in uniform, the choice to leave the Army was, by his own account, anything but easy. He said it required considerable thought before he was able to conclude that premature retirement was the right course.
Looking beyond the Army
While retirement closed one chapter of his life, Major Rishabh said it does not mean he intends to slow down. During his conversation with Raj Shamani, he spoke about wanting to test his own limits and understand what he is capable of achieving outside the Army.
Having spent 12 years in the service, he said he now hopes to use the discipline, experience and leadership he developed in the military to build something new. He indicated that he is working towards a new venture or model through which he hopes to inspire young people and contribute, in his own way, to the country’s growth.
His comments suggest that he views the move not as an end, but as the start of a different kind of public journey. Even after leaving the Army, he said he wants to continue serving through new work that can motivate others and allow him to push his own boundaries.
He rejects marriage and relocation rumours
Major Rishabh also used the podcast to address the wave of online speculation that followed news of his premature retirement. He clarified that he did not leave the Indian Army because he was getting married.
He further dismissed rumours that he planned to move abroad or marry a foreign national. According to him, those theories were unfounded. He said he is currently single and has no immediate plans to get married.
By addressing the speculation directly, Major Rishabh sought to put an end to the assumptions that had circulated online after his retirement became public.
A carefully considered transition
Leaving the Indian Army after more than a decade is a major transition for any officer, particularly when professional identity has been closely tied to military service. Major Rishabh’s remarks show that his exit was shaped by reflection rather than rumour, and by personal circumstances rather than sudden change.
After months of deliberation and what he described as the hardest decision of his life, he has now moved into a new phase focused on family and future possibilities. While his formal career in uniform has ended after around 12 years, he said his ambition to inspire young people, challenge himself and contribute to the nation will continue in a different form.
