Rutuja Warhade, a student from Pune, has achieved a remarkable feat by securing the top position among female candidates in the National Defence Academy (NDA) entrance examination and an impressive third rank overall in the merit list released by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
This comes just a few years after the NDA opened its doors to women in 2021, marking progress towards gender inclusion in the armed forces.
More than 1.5 lakh female candidates competed this year for the 27 available positions for girls at the NDA. Among them, Rutuja stood out, bringing pride to her city, family, and teachers. Both her parents, who work as educators, have played a crucial role in supporting and motivating her throughout her journey.
Rutuja had set her sights on joining the armed forces since Class 9 and began focused preparation for the NDA entrance from Class 11. She also cleared the Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS) test, moving closer to her goal of becoming an Army pilot.
“I was hopeful of making it to the top 10 but didn’t expect such a good score,” Rutuja said. Her father is a professor at an engineering college while her mother conducts mathematics tuition classes. She also has a younger sister studying in Class 4. Rutuja will be the first in her family to join the armed forces.
{{/usCountry}}“I was hopeful of making it to the top 10 but didn’t expect such a good score,” Rutuja said. Her father is a professor at an engineering college while her mother conducts mathematics tuition classes. She also has a younger sister studying in Class 4. Rutuja will be the first in her family to join the armed forces.
{{/usCountry}}A resident of Pune, Rutuja, is scheduled to join the new batch of cadets in June. Preparing for the physically demanding training ahead, she has already started working on her fitness.
“NDA training is rigorous. I’m focusing on building my stamina and strength in the coming weeks. I run 3 to 3.5 km daily and aim to gradually increase it to 10 km, along with push-ups and squats,” she shared.