Naik Deepak Nainwal died in 2018 after he fought terrorists. His wife Jyoti Nainwal then became an officer in the Indian Army.

Jyoti Nainwal marched alongside 28 female cadets at the Officers Training Academy’s passing-out parade last week. The 33-year-old former homemaker from Dehradun had her late soldier husband’s memory in her heart and their two uniformed children on her shoulders, during the event on Saturday.

Naik Deepak Nainwal died in May 2018 from injuries sustained a month earlier while fighting militants in J&K’s Anantnag.

“I am Deepak Nainwal’s proud daughter,” said Lavanya, 9, as she waved to her mother from the gallery. Reyansh, her seven-year-old brother, was with her. Jyoti, who has been commissioned as a lieutenant, is the first member of her family to join the Army.

Jyoti expressed gratitude to her husband’s Mahar Regiment, saying, “They were with us through thick and thin, and I owe everything I am now to the regiment.”

Jyoti Nainwal had begun preparing for the Service Selection Board test for entrance into the armed services officer cadre soon after her husband’s death. She completed 11 months of training at the Chennai institute after passing the test.

On Saturday, a total of 153 cadets were commissioned. In addition, 16 men and nine women from Afghanistan, Bhutan, and the Maldives finished their training.

Lt Gen CP Mohanty, Vice Chief of Army Staff, stated that women officers have played an important role in the Army during the last few decades.

ACA Siddhanth Sharma received the Sword of Honour and the OTA gold medal from Mohanty.

Mohanty also gave the bronze medal to BCA Muneesh Kumar and the silver medal to BUO Dimple Singh Bhati.