📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Senior Chief Petty Officer Susan Hammond
Defence
Major Navya Shekhawat Becomes First Female Army ADC to India's President
✍️ Amar Ujala · Rajasthan
🗓 18 Sep 2026, 03:31 PM
👁 13
Major Navya Shekhawat of the Indian Army has been appointed as the President’s first female Army Aide‑de‑Camp, marking a historic first.
Major Navya Shekhawat, an officer of the Indian Army, has been officially designated as the Aide‑de‑Camp (ADC) to the President of India. The appointment was announced by the Ministry of Defence and places her in a senior liaison role that directly supports the President’s official duties.
The selection makes her the first woman from the Army to hold the ADC post, a position traditionally occupied by male officers. As an ADC, she will be responsible for coordinating the President’s schedule, managing ceremonial protocols, and acting as a key point of contact between the President’s office and the armed forces.
Her elevation reflects the growing presence of women in combat and staff roles within the Indian armed forces, aligning with recent policy moves to increase gender diversity across the services. The historic appointment is being hailed as a milestone for gender equality in defence leadership.
The selection makes her the first woman from the Army to hold the ADC post, a position traditionally occupied by male officers. As an ADC, she will be responsible for coordinating the President’s schedule, managing ceremonial protocols, and acting as a key point of contact between the President’s office and the armed forces.
Her elevation reflects the growing presence of women in combat and staff roles within the Indian armed forces, aligning with recent policy moves to increase gender diversity across the services. The historic appointment is being hailed as a milestone for gender equality in defence leadership.