In a landmark milestone for gender parity and operational representation within India's Armed Forces, Major Navya Shekhawat has been officially appointed as Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Hailing originally from Rajasthan—a land steeped in military valor and distinguished martial service—Major Shekhawat creates history as the first-ever female officer from the Indian Army to be inducted into the elite presidential ceremonial and administrative secretariat. While she becomes the trailblazer for the Army wing at the apex office, she is the second woman officer across the tri-services to shoulder this high-visibility post, closely following Lieutenant Commander Yashasvi Solanki of the Indian Navy, who assumed the pioneering role of naval ADC to the supreme commander in 2025.

Understanding the Prestigious Office of ADC to the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces

The Aide-de-Camp (ADC) serves as an indispensable military confidant and executive liaison officer who acts as the literal shadow to the President of India during all high-level diplomatic, constitutional, and ceremonial events. The personal military staff of the President typically comprises five commissioned officers drawn directly from the three wings of the armed forces: three officers are seconded from the Indian Army, alongside one officer each from the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force. Beyond accompanying the head of state at home and during domestic or state visits abroad, an ADC is entrusted with managing complex executive protocols, military coordination, diplomatic briefings, and ceremonial honors. The induction of Major Shekhawat into this compact, five-member military team represents a progressive step toward integrating qualified female military leadership into apex constitutional bodies.

From CDS Qualification to ASC Commissioning: The Journey of Major Navya Shekhawat

Major Navya Shekhawat’s ascent to Rashtrapati Bhavan is rooted in rigorous meritocracy and intense physical and strategic training. Her journey began when she cleared the prestigious Combined Defence Services (CDS) examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), earning a distinguished position on the CDS (I) 2020 Officers Training Academy (OTA) Women merit list. Enrolled in the Short Service Commission (Non-Technical) course, she underwent grueling military and tactical instruction at the premier Officers Training Academy in Chennai. Upon successfully completing her academy tenure in 2021, she was commissioned into the Army Service Corps (ASC), the vital logistical backbone responsible for powering operational supplies, mobility, and frontline sustenance for field formations. Demonstrating exceptional administrative capability, operational discipline, and leadership acumen, she achieved the rank of Major in just five years of active military service.

Breaking Glass Ceilings: Symbol of Modernization and Gender Parity in Armed Forces

The appointment of Major Navya Shekhawat carries deep operational and cultural significance, mirroring the rapid modernization and expanding operational footprint of women officers across the Indian Armed Forces. Historically, presidential ADC appointments were dominated by male officers due to legacy service frameworks, but recent defense reforms—spanning permanent commissioning for women, entry into the National Defence Academy, and forward operational postings—have redefined institutional pathways. Placing a woman Army officer in the formal ceremonial forefront of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces not only projects India's progressive defense vision to international delegations, but also provides inspiration to thousands of young women across Rajasthan and the nation seeking frontline military careers.