In a remarkable showcase of grit and determination, two lady cadets of Mai Bhago Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (AFPI) for Girls in Mohali have scripted the history- Mehakpreet Kaur topped the nation by securing All India Rank (AIR) 1 in the Air Force Academy merit list, while lady cadet Komalpreet Kaur bagged AIR 18 for entry into the prestigious National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla.
Living up to the institute’s ethos, ‘Shubh Karman Te Kabhu Na Taraun’, both lady cadets hail from humble backgrounds. Mehakpreet Kaur is the daughter of farmer S. Amarjit Singh and Rupinder Kaur from Village Paprali in Rupnagar, while Komalpreet Kaur is the daughter of Havildar Gurmeet Singh of the Indian Army and Baljit Kaur from Village Shahura in Amritsar.
Congratulating the duo, Punjab Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training Minister Mr. Aman Arora said their success reflects the vision of a new, aspirational Punjab. Mehakpreet and Komalpreet have not just cracked India’s toughest defence exams, they have shattered glass ceilings for every daughter of Punjab from small towns and villages.
Responding to these very aspirations, the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann took a path-breaking step in 2023 by starting an NDA Preparatory Wing for girls at Mai Bhago AFPI, he added. Expressing immense pride, Mai Bhago AFPI Director Major General Jasbir Singh Sandhu, AVSM (Retd.) said that securing AIR 1 against the minuscule vacancies for women in the Defence Services is extraordinary.
Mehakpreet and Komalpreet have given a massive boost to the state government’s mission of sending more daughters of Punjab into uniform. He wished both the cadets a bright, glorious future in service of the nation.