PUNE/HISAR. “When I saw the pride in my parents’ eyes, I knew this was where I belonged,” says Captain Ritul Duhan, her voice steady with purpose and pride. A native of Hisar, Haryana, and now Battalion Cadet Captain at the prestigious National Defence Academy (NDA), Ritul Duhan is not just making history – she’s rewriting it.
When the NDA opened its doors to women in 2021 for the first time in its 75-year history, Ritul was a first-year engineering student, a national-level basketball player, and a state-level debater. For her, the decision to join was instinctive.
“When I heard that girls would be allowed into the NDA, I didn’t think twice,” she recalled while speaking to The Times of India.
Drawn to the idea of serving the nation from an early age – asentiment deeply rooted in her home state’s rich military tradition – Ritul seized the historic moment with both hands. She became one of the pioneering women to join the NDA, breaking barriers and setting new benchmarks for what young women in India can aspire to.
Today, as a Battalion Cadet Captain, she not only leads from the front but also stands as a beacon for countless young girls across the country.
“We are obliged and privileged to be part of this historic moment… But it’s a big responsibility. Juniors look up to us. They will follow our path,” she said.
With courage, conviction, and quiet confidence, Captain Ritul Duhan is not just wearing the olive green – she is transforming what it means to wear it.
