President Murmu reviews IMA parade as first batch of women officers joins Army

President Droupadi Murmu reviewed the IMA passing-out parade in Dehradun, where 515 officer cadets, including the first-ever batch of nine women officer cadets, were commissioned into the Indian Army. She described the occasion as a watershed moment for the academy

Dehradun: President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday reviewed the passing-out parade of the 158th Regular Course and the 141st Technical Graduate Course at the IMA here, marking a historic milestone with the commissioning of the first-ever batch of nine women officer cadets into the Indian Army.

The ceremony was attended by Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (retd), Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Army Training Command GOC-in-C Lt Gen Devendra Sharma, Indian Military Academy (IMA) Commandant Lt Gen Nagendra Singh, senior military officers and families of the cadets.

---

A total of 515 officer cadets were commissioned into the Indian Army following the parade, including nine women officer cadets. The graduating group also comprised 34 officer cadets from 16 friendly foreign countries, who will join their respective armed forces.

According to officials, the commissioning of the women officer cadets represents a landmark moment for the institution, which has trained generations of male Army officers since its establishment in 1932.

Several cadets were honoured for outstanding performance during the ceremony. Academy Cadet Adjutant Vishal Kumar was awarded the Sword of Honour and the gold medal for standing first in the Regular Course.

Academy Under Officer Prince Raj received the silver medal, while Senior Under Officer Tejas Bhatt secured the bronze medal.

Among other courses, Officer Cadet Hrishabh Mishra topped the Technical Graduate Course and received the silver medal (TGC). Officer Cadet Bodh Raj Thapa topped the SCO Course, while Officer Cadet Karan Pandey stood first in the TES Course.

Junior Under Officer Zaif Sadid Alvy received the Best Foreign Officer Cadet Trophy.

Speaking on the occasion, the president congratulated the cadets for completing one of the country’s most rigorous training programmes and said their courage and wisdom would guide them in service.

Expressing happiness at the inclusion of the nine women cadets, she termed it a “watershed moment” in the history of the IMA.

She said it was not only a milestone for the defence forces but also an inspiring example of India’s march towards women-led development, expressing confidence that more women cadets would join the academy in the future.

The president also congratulated the foreign cadets, saying their nations had entrusted India with the responsibility of training them to the highest levels of military professionalism. She expressed confidence that they would bring laurels to their respective armed forces and countries through their service and the values imbibed at the IMA.

She added that the presence of foreign cadets reflects India’s commitment to fostering friendship, cooperation and peaceful relations globally. Cadets at this institution develop mutual trust, understanding and professional bonds that play an important role in strengthening defence cooperation among nations.

Reminding the officer cadets that they are the protectors of the nation’s sovereignty, unity and integrity, the president said they carry the sacred trust of over 140 crore citizens. She advised them to always remember that service is the highest duty.

She also said that in an era of rapidly changing security challenges, technological advances and complex global environments, the Indian Army must remain adaptive and future-ready. She urged the young officers to be lifelong learners, courageous decision-makers and ethical leaders.

Murmu said that as Army officers, the cadets will be responsible for leading, guiding and caring for their soldiers. They must lead by example, inspire confidence and encourage teamwork and dedication.

By balancing operational effectiveness with the well-being of their personnel, they will build trust and strengthen the fighting capability of their units. She concluded by saying that they are expected to lead from the front, care for their soldiers and uphold the finest traditions of the armed forces.