Meet Lance Naik Manju Nain: Indian Army’s First Woman Soldier Skydiver Who Jumped from 10,000 Feet
In the evolving story of women in the Indian Armed Forces, certain milestones stand out not merely as personal achievements but as quiet revolutions. One such moment arrived on 15 November 2022, when Lance Naik Manju Nain of the Corps of Military Police stepped out of an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv at 10,000 feet over Assam and became the first woman soldier skydiver in the history of the Indian Army.
Her journey from a modest farming household in rural Haryana to that historic freefall offers a powerful narrative of determination, physical grit, and quiet resolve. It is a story particularly relevant for defence aspirants preparing for the SSB, NDA, CDS or AFCAT, as it illustrates how ordinary backgrounds, when paired with extraordinary self-belief, can lead to extraordinary firsts.
Roots in Rural Haryana
Lance Naik Manju Nain hails from the village of Dhamtan Sahib in Jind district, Haryana. Born into a modest farming family that owns roughly one acre of land and leases additional fields for cultivation, she grew up in an environment defined by hard physical labour and simple values. Her parents are uneducated, yet they instilled discipline and perseverance through their daily work on the land.
She is the youngest of three siblings. Her elder sister Reena and elder brother Darbara Singh are both graduates who have been preparing for competitive examinations. A paternal uncle played a formative role in shaping her aspirations, encouraging her to look beyond conventional expectations and consider a life of national service.
Manju is the first woman from her family to join the Army as a soldier. When she first expressed her desire to become a “fauji,” some relatives and friends responded with gentle scepticism, suggesting she could perhaps become a “faujan” (a soldier’s wife) instead. That early resistance only strengthened her resolve.
Sporting Foundation and the Call to Serve
Long before she wore the uniform, Manju distinguished herself as a state-level kabaddi player. She trained at the Chaudhary Bharat Singh Memorial Sports School in Nidani, Jind an institution known for producing tough, resilient athletes from Haryana’s sporting culture. Kabaddi demands explosive strength, agility, endurance and mental toughness under pressure. Those same qualities later proved invaluable in military training and high-risk adventure activities.
From childhood, stories of family members who had served in the Army, combined with the example of historical figures such as Rani Laxmi Bai and Rani Ahilya Bai Holkar, planted a clear ambition: to serve the nation in uniform. For her, joining the Army was never merely a career choice; it was a matter of self-respect and identity.
Breaking New Ground: The First Batch of Women Soldiers
In 2019 the Indian Army opened a significant new chapter by recruiting women at the sepoy rank for certain roles, including the Corps of Military Police. Manju was one of only seven women selected from Haryana in that inaugural batch.
She formally joined the Corps of Military Police on 14 December 2019. Her 61-week rigorous training began on 15 January 2020 at the CMP Centre and School in Bengaluru. The course prepared her for the core responsibilities of Women Military Police personnel maintaining discipline, enforcing law and order within Army units, and performing operational duties under varied conditions.
After completing training, she was posted to the Eastern Command in Assam, with initial duties in the Golaghat area. Colleagues described her as an “absolute warrior” someone consistently willing to take on difficult challenges rather than settle for routine work.
The Historic Jump: 15 November 2022
While serving under the Eastern Command, Manju was selected for specialised skydiving training under the Indian Army’s Adventure Wing. The preparation involved high-altitude simulations, emergency procedures, equipment handling, and intensive physical and psychological conditioning.
On 15 November 2022, she executed a tandem jump from 10,000 feet from an ALH Dhruv helicopter over a drop zone near Missamari in Assam. The Eastern Command officially announced the achievement the following day, describing it as an inspiring act that would set an example for other women in the Army.
Video footage captured the moment: her poised stance at the helicopter door, the freefall with arms extended, the parachute deployment, and a controlled landing. Upon touching the ground, she recited a couplet that has since become closely associated with her:
“Panchi ne jab jab kiya apne pankho pe vishwas, dur dur tak ho gaya uska ye amber ye aakash.” (Whenever a bird trusts its wings, it rules the sky.)
In later reflections she has said: “When I landed, I knew for sure that nothing is impossible in life if we put our minds to a task.” She has also spoken candidly about the fear that preceded the jump and how she overcame it by focusing rigorously on her training drills.
The feat was not a combat jump or an independent free-fall qualification in the classic paratrooper sense, but it marked a clear institutional first: a serving woman soldier of the Indian Army completing a high-altitude helicopter skydiving jump as part of the Army’s adventure training framework.
Continued Service and Recognition
Following her historic jump, Manju continued her duties with the Corps of Military Police. In 2024 she served with the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) mission in Israel. For her contribution during this deployment, the Indian Army awarded her a Commendation Card.
As of mid-2025 reporting, she is stationed at the CMP Centre and School in Bengaluru, where her responsibilities continue to centre on maintaining discipline and professional standards within the force.
Away from duty, she remains active in sports and fitness. She enjoys long-distance running, swimming and basketball. When she visits her village, she has been known to encourage local girls by organising morning and evening exercise sessions quietly extending the same culture of physical discipline that shaped her own path.
Mindset and Message
Manju’s own words reveal a practical, grounded philosophy rather than abstract idealism. She has advised young women: “If there is ever an opportunity to join the Indian Army and serve the nation, do not overthink it. Just do it.” On the larger question of achieving difficult goals, she has observed that success depends on how strongly a person wants a dream and how willingly they are prepared to work for it with consistency and self-belief.
Her story carries particular resonance for defence aspirants. It demonstrates that background need not be a barrier, that early societal scepticism can be overcome, and that the Indian Army’s expanding opportunities for women from the 2019 induction of women soldiers to specialised adventure roles and UN deployments reward those who prepare thoroughly and persist.
A Quiet but Enduring Milestone
Lance Naik Manju Nain did not seek the spotlight. She trained, stepped out of the helicopter when the moment came, and returned to her professional duties. Yet that single jump on 15 November 2022 permanently expanded the recorded possibilities for women soldiers in the Indian Army.
From the fields of Dhamtan Sahib to the skies over Assam, and later to a United Nations mission, her path illustrates a simple but powerful truth: when an individual trusts her preparation and her wings, the sky ceases to be a limit and becomes a domain.
Her achievement continues to serve as both a factual landmark in the history of women in the Indian Army and a living example for the next generation of aspirants who hope to wear the same uniform with equal pride and purpose.
