Punjabi kudis create history

Updated on: 06 March,2009 09:08 AM IST |
Kaumudi Gurjar |

Lt Harleen Chopra became the first Indian woman cadet to command a passing out parade of the AFMC graduates, while Lt Gurpreet Kaur won the prestigious President's Gold Medal

Lt Harleen Chopra became the first Indian woman cadet to command a passing out parade of the AFMC graduates, while Lt Gurpreet Kaur won the prestigious President's Gold Medal

Lt Harleen Chopra, a medical cadet of the AFMC became the first-ever Indian woman cadet to command a passing out parade of the graduates who would be commissioned into the Armed Forces Medical Services.

Lt Chopra, who awed the spectators with her supreme authority while giving the commands to other cadets, believes that women are equally tough and strong as their male counterparts. Apart from drills, Lt Chopra has fared well in her academics too. She has topped in four subjects pathology, microbiology, ophthalmology and ENT.

Lt Gen Yogendra Singh, PVSM, VSM, PHS, Director General Armed Forces Medical Services, said, " Lt Harleen is a brilliant student and we have considered her four and half years' performance before selecting her to be the First Lady Cadet to command AFMC POP."

Even Lt Chopra's parents were present when the history was being created. And soon after the parade was over, her mother, Neelam Chopra, exclaimed, 'No other day in my life could be better than this'.

Besides, Lt Gurpreet Kaur from Fizalka surpassed her 102 fellow cadets to win the prestigious President's Gold Medal. She said, "Initially, I wanted to become a fighter pilot, but then I decided to pursue a career in medicine." Interestingly, both the girls are the first in their families to serve the Defense force.

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