Meet first woman ADC to President: ‘Never dreamt this would be possible’
Meet first woman ADC to President: ‘Never dreamt this would be possible’
Person in News: Lieutenant Commander Yashaswi Solankee
Achievement: First woman officer appointed as Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to the President of India (May 9, 2025).
Context: Traditionally, the President has 5 ADCs — 3 from the Army, 1 from the Navy, and 1 from the Air Force. Solankee is the first woman ever among them.
Initiative: The idea came from President Droupadi Murmu, emphasizing women’s empowerment and gender parity in the Armed Forces.
Selection Process:
Panel of 3 women Naval officers was shortlisted.
Assessed over 15 days at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Criteria included physical fitness (height 173 cm), intelligence, and adaptability.
Final interview conducted by the President herself.
Background:
Age 27, from Bharuch (Gujarat).
Former district-level badminton and volleyball player.
Served earlier in Naval Armament (Defence Production), Hyderabad.
Role of ADC:
Acts as the bridge to the President.
Coordinates appointments, events, and communications.
On 24x7 duty rotation, briefing the President before every engagement.
Tenure: 2.5–3 years.
Significance: Milestone for Nari Shakti in Armed Forces; likely to be followed by more women ADCs from Army/Air Force.
