CHENNAI: Women created history at the 55-year-old Officers Training Academy (OTA) by bagging two top honours at the passing out parade here on Saturday. Academy Cadet Adjutant Preeti Choudhary was presented the ‘Sword of Honour’ and Senior Under Officer Vreeti was honoured with the silver medal in the overall order of merit by reviewing officer
Lt Dewan Rabindranath Soni, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command.
Of the 37 women who passed out, many chose to don the olive green uniform drawing inspiration from their menfolk who died fighting on the borders. Some gave up lucrative careers to join the armed forces.
Silver-medal winner Vreeti gave up her job as a design engineer at a private company in Japan.
“I was inspired by Wing Commander Pooja Thakur, from Indian Air Force who led a Guard of Honour for (the then) United States President Barack Obama,” she recalls. “My parents supported me. At OTA, I was happy about being treated on a par with gentlemen cadets, which makes me feel even prouder,” says Vreeti, who will join the Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
Choudhary, the third woman to receive the Sword of Honour, dedicated the award to her parents. The Panipat-based woman, who will be joining the army’s air defence, says she was inspired by her father Inder Singh, who retired from the army as an honorary captain.
However, it was Lt Sushmita Pandey and Lt Neeta Deswal, wives of war heroes Major Neeraj Pandey and Major Amit Deswal respectively, who stole the limelight. Lt Sushmita, mother of a five-year-old, joined OTA after her husband died in Arunachal Pradesh in 2016 during Operation Rhino. The lecturer-turned-army officer from UP says she wants to carry on her husband’s legacy. Lt Neeta, mother of a five-year-old boy, joined OTA after her husband died in Operation Hifazath.