For the first time in its 93-year history, the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, has graduated a female officer. This honor goes to 23-year-old Lieutenant Sai Jadhav. Since its establishment in 1932, over 67,000 officers have graduated from the IMA, but until now, none were women. Sai shattered this barrier and etched her name in the history of the Indian Army.
Her father, Major Sandeep Jadhav, is stationed with the 164 Infantry Battalion (TA) - Home and Hearth Battalion - in Nagaland. Sai has been commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Indian Territorial Army (TA), becoming the first woman officer to join the TA after graduating from the IMA.
Source: aajtak
Sai told India Today that in her father's generation, he was the only one in uniform, but her grandfather and great-grandfather served in the military. She was determined to continue this tradition. After completing her graduation, she began her preparation, guided by her father at every step.
Sai's military lineage spans four generations. Her great-grandfather, Subedar Shankar Rao Jadhav served in the British Army, while her father's uncle Anil Ghatge was in the Air Force. Major Sandeep Jadhav has dedicated nearly 15 years to the TA and has previously served with the Bihar Regiment, Madras Regiment, and Grenadiers.
Source: aajtak
Major Jadhav shared that Sai always expressed her desire to join the army since childhood, inspired by the service-oriented atmosphere at home that shaped her resolve.
Sai completed her schooling in Jaysingpur (Kolhapur), cleared her 10th in Coimbatore, and graduated from Kolhapur. She is currently pursuing a distance MBA from Symbiosis. After graduation in 2023, she began her preparatory journey, cleared the SSB in October 2024, and topped the merit list in the All India Women Officer Entry. Sai's commissioning at the IMA's passing out parade marks a new chapter for women in the Indian Army.
