GADAG: Colonel Spurthi Kulkarni, a daughter of Gadag district, has brought immense pride and recognition to the region by becoming the first woman Army officer to command the 45th Task Force of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
Born on May 26, 1989, Spurthi Kulkarni is the eldest daughter of Ranganath Kulkarni and Geeta, who hail from Hombal village near Gadag. Her younger sister, Sampreeta Kulkarni, is also serving in the Indian Army with the rank of Major. Coming from a small village, Spurthi has shown that one’s rural background or gender should never be a barrier to achieving great heights.
Through her dedication, courage, and determination, she has carved a remarkable path in the Indian Army and become an inspiration to young women, particularly those from rural communities.
She completed her early education at Tontadarya, St. John’s and Vidyadana schools in Gadag. When her mother passed away in 2003, her father, Ranganath Kulkarni, stood up as a single parent. After completing her PUC in Pune and a degree in civil engineering in Bagalkot, he joined the army as a lieutenant after passing the SSB exam in 2011.
Spurthi’s father Ramachandra said, “She has key responsibilities of developing and maintaining strategic road connectivity along India’s western border. She has become the first woman army officer to be commissioned, which is a matter of pride for the district.”