Major Navya Shekhawat becomes first woman Army Officer to serve as President’s ADC

New Delhi: Major Navya Shekhawat has made history as the first woman officer from the Indian Army to be appointed Aide-de-Camp, or ADC, to President Droupadi Murmu. In the role, she assists the President during state functions, investiture ceremonies, and diplomatic engagements at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The President is assisted by five ADCs — three from the Army, and one each from the Navy and Air Force. Lt Commander Yashasvi Solanki became the first woman ADC in May 2025. Major Shekhawat is now the second woman, and the first from the Army, to join this elite group.

An officer of the Army Service Corps, she entered the forces through the CDS exam and OTA Chennai. Her appointment comes amid growing representation of women in the Army since 1992, and the 2020 Supreme Court ruling granting women SSC officers permanent commission.

For defence aspirants across India, Major Shekhawat’s rise stands as proof that discipline and merit can lead to the nation’s most prestigious appointments.