Meet Sub Lieutenant Ankit and Lieutenant Arti Bhatia: Siblings Who Joined the Indian Navy Inspired by Their Coast Guard Father

In a heartwarming story of determination, family inspiration, and self-belief, two siblings from a defence family have fulfilled their childhood dream of joining the Indian Navy. Sub Lieutenant Ankit Bhatia and his younger sister Lieutenant Arti Bhatia are now serving the nation in the prestigious white uniform, carrying forward the legacy of their father, Krishan Kumar, a retired Indian Coast Guard Air Crew Diver.

SLt Ankit Bhatia successfully completed his one-year training at the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, and passed out on 28 May 2026. His commissioning marked the beginning of his journey as an officer in the Indian Navy. Interestingly, his younger sister, Lt Arti Bhatia, had already joined the Indian Navy in March 2024 and is now one and a half years senior to him in service. While Arti entered the service before her elder brother, she proudly credits her success to Ankit’s constant support, guidance, and mentorship throughout her preparation journey.

Their story beautifully reflects how inspiration within a family can go beyond age, rank, and seniority. In this case, the elder brother guided his younger sister in her preparation, the younger sister joined the Navy first, and her success later became a source of motivation for the brother to continue his own SSB journey with renewed confidence.

The foundation of their patriotic spirit was laid at home. Their father, Krishan Kumar, P/Adh Retd., served the Indian Coast Guard with distinction for 29 years as an Air Crew Diver. With over 2,000 flying hours and 25 years of experience in diving, his life of service, discipline, courage, and sacrifice became the biggest inspiration for both Ankit and Arti. Their mother, Santro Devi, a homemaker, remained the emotional strength of the family, supporting the children throughout their academic and defence preparation journey.

The family originally hails from Haryana, with roots in Bamla in Bhiwani and Bibipur in Jind. Due to their father’s service commitments, the siblings grew up across different parts of the country, including Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Porbandar, and Kochi. Studying in Kendriya Vidyalayas across these cities gave them wide exposure, adaptability, and a strong foundation in discipline and values.

Both siblings completed their schooling from Kendriya Vidyalayas. Ankit scored 90% in Class XII and went on to pursue an Integrated M.Sc. in Mathematics from NIT Surat, where he secured 71.7% in graduation. Arti, on the other hand, scored an impressive 95.2% in Class XII and completed her B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering from Government Model Engineering College with 92% marks.

Despite their strong academic performance, both siblings describe themselves as average students who did not have major academic accolades. What makes their journey more inspiring is that they never attended tuition classes. Their success was built on self-study, discipline, consistency, and mutual support. Arti especially credits Ankit for mentoring her studies from Class VIII onwards. His guidance helped her build confidence and perform well academically as well as in her defence preparation.

Their motivation to join the Armed Forces came entirely from their father. Growing up watching him serve in uniform, both Ankit and Arti developed a deep respect for the Armed Forces. The values of duty, courage, and service were not taught to them through lectures but were seen every day in their father’s life. His dedication to the Indian Coast Guard became the guiding light behind their dream of wearing the Navy’s white uniform.

Ankit’s SSB journey began in 2018 when he was still in Class XII. Like many aspirants, his path was not easy. He faced multiple setbacks and continued appearing for SSB interviews over the years. Finally, after years of persistence, he earned his recommendation in October 2024 in his 8th attempt. His journey stands as a powerful reminder that success in SSB is not always immediate, but perseverance, self-analysis, and continuous improvement can eventually lead to victory.

During his own long journey, Ankit also became a mentor for his sister Arti. He shared his experiences, mistakes, learnings, and preparation strategies with her, helping her avoid common errors. Arti was screened out in her first SSB attempt, but instead of being discouraged, she worked on herself with Ankit’s guidance. In her second attempt, she secured a recommendation and went on to join the Indian Navy before her brother.

This unique turn of events made the story even more special. The younger sister, guided by her elder brother, joined the Navy first and became senior to him in service. Arti herself acknowledges that Ankit’s guidance played a major role in her success. For Ankit, seeing his sister getting commissioned became a powerful source of motivation. It strengthened his belief and pushed him to continue his journey with greater determination. Soon after witnessing Arti’s success, Ankit cleared the very next SSB he appeared for.

Another remarkable aspect of their journey is that both siblings prepared without coaching. They relied on self-study, online resources, podcasts, books, and interviews of recommended candidates. Platforms like SSBCrack also played a role in their preparation, providing them with guidance, motivation, and insights into the SSB process.

Their story is not just about two siblings joining the Indian Navy. It is about a father’s legacy, a mother’s support, a brother’s mentorship, a sister’s faith, and a family’s shared commitment to serving the nation. It shows that success does not always require expensive coaching or extraordinary academic records. What matters more is clarity of goal, discipline, self-belief, learning from failures, and never giving up.

SLt Ankit Bhatia and Lt Arti Bhatia today stand as an inspiration for thousands of defence aspirants across the country. Their journey proves that failures are not the end of the road and that every attempt teaches something valuable. Ankit’s 8-attempt journey and Arti’s comeback after being screened out in her first attempt are strong examples of resilience and determination.

For every young aspirant preparing for SSB, their message is clear: believe in yourself, learn from every failure, stay consistent, and keep improving. Coaching may guide you, but real transformation comes from self-awareness, honesty, and persistent effort.

The Bhatia siblings have made their family proud and have carried forward their father’s legacy of service with honour. From the Indian Coast Guard to the Indian Navy, this family’s journey reflects the finest spirit of dedication to the nation. Their story will continue to motivate countless young Indians who dream of wearing the uniform and serving the country with pride.