Major Navya Shekhawat Becomes First Female Indian Army Aide-de-Camp to President

Major Navya Shekhawat of the Indian Army has been selected as an aide-de-camp to President Droupadi Murmu, making her the first woman from the army to serve in that capacity. The presidential household maintains five ADCs—three from the army, one from the navy and one from the air force—who assist with official ceremonies and uphold military protocol. Shekhawat entered the service after passing the Combined Defence Services exam, training at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai, and receiving a commission into the Army Service Corps in mid-2021, rising to the rank of major within five years.

Her appointment follows Lieutenant Commander Yashasvi Solanki’s 2025 breakthrough as the first female ADC overall from the navy. The milestone comes amid decades of policy changes that have broadened career opportunities for women in the Indian armed forces, including a 2020 Supreme Court ruling on permanent commissions. Her role underscores the growing presence of women in senior military positions and the symbolic importance of representation at the nation’s highest ceremonial office.