Meet Preeti Rajak: Ace Shooter & Indian Army's First Female Subedar

Preeti Rajak made history on January 28, becoming the first woman to be elevated to the rank of Subedar in the Indian Army. The 22-year-old is a shooting champion who joined the Corps of Military Police in 2022. The Indian Army's official X (Twitter) page shared the celebratory news, calling it a proud moment not only for Rajak but also for women everywhere. "Her achievement is an extraordinary display of Nari Shakti," the post read.

Who Is Preeti Rajak?

Born in November 2022, Preeti Rajak is a native of Itarsi in the Narmadapuram district of Madhya Pradesh. She belongs to a lower-middle-class family, where her mother is a social worker and her father runs a dry-cleaning business. She also has a sister. 

Rajak began shooting in 2015 with the encouragement of her sport-savvy father. She is a trainee of coach Indrajeet from the Madhya Pradesh Shooting Academy. Her discipline and grit to do her best at the sport earned her several chances to represent the nation at global tournaments. She has also won many laurels at shooting.

Most recently, Rajak won India the silver medal at the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China. She has also participated and won in tournaments in Azerbaijan, Egypt, Kazakhstan, and Qatar. Rajak is now undergoing training for the upcoming Olympics in Paris at the Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU). 

She joined the Indian Army's Military Police Division on December 22, 2022. According to the news organisation Rajasthan Patrika, Rajak is the youngest shooter in the Army. Being the first woman to be promoted to Subedar, nonetheless at such a young age, is a great testament to Preeti Rajak's precision in working. Her achievement is an inspiration to even those older than her, reminding them to continue working hard so they can be trailblazers too.

Asian Games Silver Medalist in Trap Shooting, Preeti Rajak becomes the First Woman Subedar of the #IndianArmy.

Preeti Rajak has been awarded a promotion based on her spectacular performance in sports. She joined the Indian Army on 22 Dec 2022 in the Corps of Military Police as… pic.twitter.com/Y6JToA9yma

— ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) January 27, 2024

In an attempt to commemorate women's talents and efforts in nation-building, the armed forces and several other organisations have promoted women to the helm recently. This year's Republic Day parade also saw several all-women's contingents marching down the Kartavya Path. As the Army's social media page noted, Rajak and several other women's promotion to higher levels in the armed forces is a ray of hope for women's empowerment in society.