I-Day Special: From Struggle To Success, Watch An Army Veteran's Story

As India celebrates its 78th Independence Day, we honour the journey of Indian army veteran Nithi CJ, a trailblazer who defied societal norms to serve her country. Inspired by her father's legacy and undeterred by the scepticism she faced, Nithi overcame immense obstacles to become an officer in the Indian Army. 

In a conversation with SheThePeople, Nithi CJ shared her journey from enduring rigorous training at the Officers Training Academy to excelling in demanding roles across the country. Read her story, one of perseverance and self-belief, in her own words.

I-Day Special: From Struggle to Success – Watch A Veteran’s Army Story

"Growing up, I always wanted to join the Army, just like my father. But oftentimes mothers had to hear, ‘Who sends girls into the Army? It's not for women!’

The first word of motivation I received from someone I approached for mentoring was, ‘No, you are not fit to be an officer.’ So I took it up as a challenge and made it my goal—to become an Army officer and serve the nation!

I was in college when the CDSE exam was introduced to women in 2007. Being on the chubbier side, my father, being an officer himself, was concerned about how to excel in this. Yet, seeing my certainty, he was left with only one choice: to support my dream.

Despite many hurdles, I cleared my SSB on my third attempt in December 2008. I secured an All India rank of 10th. It felt like I had made it through the most difficult phase of my life, but I had no clue about what was yet to come.

The training was rigorous. My day would start at 4 a.m., and sometimes it would end 24 hours later. I hardly have any time to talk to my family. We didn’t have mobile communication, and STD calls were allowed only once a week, but that too wasn’t a guarantee. We were constantly conditioned for physical and mental endurance.

When I entered the academy, I could barely run a kilometre. But soon, my efforts started showing results. A chubby girl who couldn't run a kilometre was able to run 40 km with 20 kg of battle load—that’s the beauty of self-belief that Army training inculcates in you.

After 11 months of training at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai, I was commissioned into the Intelligence Corps in the Indian Army. In 10 years, I scaled India from the Northeast to Jammu and Kashmir to Punjab in very challenging and confidential roles.

I also got the opportunity to be part of the first Indo-Nepal Women’s Joint Expedition to Nepal in 2011. In 2015, I was awarded a commendation card for my efforts, which I couldn’t have executed successfully without my great team. In 2020, I retired after completing 10 years of service as a short-service commissioned officer. Now a TEDx speaker and a career mentor, I have only one thing to say: the country needs you! Your potential is much greater than your gender."