Widow, former food delivery agent among 169 cadets who pass out of Chennai’s OTA

CHENNAI: Just a month after her wedding, tragedy struck Soni Bisht when she lost her husband, Sepoy Neeraj Singh Bhandari, in an accident. But instead of succumbing to grief, she chose to turn pain into a purpose --- honouring her late husband's dream by donning the Indian Army uniform. On Saturday, at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai, she marched forward in the passing out parade, not as a widow, but as a warrior, ready to serve the nation.

Daughter of retired Subedar Kundan Singh of the Brigade of Guards Battalion, Soni Bisht had her world shattered on Jan 6, 2023, barely a month after her marriage to Neeraj of the 18 Kumaon Regiment. "When I learned about the Veer Nari entry from officers of the Kumaon Regiment, my father encouraged me to take this path. It was an uphill battle, but I conquered every challenge," she said, beaming with pride after being commissioned into the Army Ordnance Corps.

Among the newly commissioned officers was another cadet, Ved Vijay Neog from Jorhat, Assam, whose journey was no less remarkable. Life had thrown multiple hurdles his way -- from working as a barista and a food delivery agent in Delhi to travelling across India as a photographer. But he never lost sight of his goal. After years of struggle, he finally earned his commission into the Indian Army.

Originally recommended for the Indian Military Academy (IMA) after graduation, Ved had to withdraw due to family hardships. In Delhi, he juggled jobs --making coffee by day and delivering food by night -- to survive. He later found work as a travel photographer with major brands, but his heart remained set on the uniform. Determined, he cleared the Combined Defence Services (CDS) exam and secured his place at OTA.

These two were part of the 133 officer cadets and 24 women officer cadets who were commissioned into various arms and services of the Indian Army. Additionally, five men foreign officer cadets and seven women foreign officer cadets from five friendly foreign nations completed their training, reinforcing international military ties.

The Reviewing Officer, Lieutenant General Johnson P Mathew, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff, presented the prestigious sword of honour to Manya M Kumar, the OTA gold medal to Pragati Thakur, the silver medal to Manya M Kumar and the bronze medal to Surjeet Yadav. In his address, he urged the young officers to uphold the ethos of selfless service and unwavering excellence in all they do.

The parade concluded with the pipping ceremony, where the young officers, now adorned with their ranks, pledged to serve the nation with honour, integrity and unwavering commitment to duty.