Army dream runs in the family: Ambala's Simranjit Kaur returns home as lieutenant

AMBALA : Simranjit Kaur , a native of Sirasgarh village in Ambala district, who has been commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Indian Army, received a warm welcome from her family and villagers amid cheers, dance and drum beats on her return to her native village on Tuesday.Soon after arriving, Simranjit Kaur paid obeisance at a nearby gurdwara in Dosarka, where former HSGMC member Jasvir Singh Khalsa honoured her with a robe of honour and blessed her for a long and distinguished service to the nation.Lieutenant Simranjit Kaur comes from a family with a strong military tradition and is the third generation of her family to serve the country.Her grandfather, Gurdial Singh, served as a gunner with the 13 Field Regiment, while her father, Arvinder Singh, retired as a Captain from the 193 Medium Regiment.Her brother, Anshdeep Singh, is currently serving with the 18 Sikh Regiment.Her mother, Sukhwinder Kaur, is a former teacher.Simranjit Kaur said her ambition to join the Army was inspired by watching her father in uniform since childhood.She passed out from the Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai, on September 5.A computer professional, Simranjit completed her schooling at Angels Public School, Barara, followed by a BCA from Sanatan Dharam College, Ambala Cantonment, and an MCA from Kurukshetra University.She subsequently cleared the Combined Defence Services (CDS) examination and underwent rigorous military training before being commissioned as an Army officer.Recalling her journey, Lieutenant Simranjit Kaur said joining the Indian Army had been her childhood dream.'My grandfather and father served in the Indian Army and my brother is also serving. This family background has been a major source of inspiration for me,' she said.She added that joining the National Cadet Corps (NCC) during college further strengthened her desire to join the armed forces and provided her with guidance and motivation.'It was not only my dream but also the dream of my entire family that I join the Army. Today, after joining the Army as an officer, all my family members are extremely happy,' she said.Encouraging youngsters and students to pursue their ambitions, Simranjit said, 'Always set high goals in life. If a person continues to work hard with dedication and discipline, without getting tired or giving up, efforts never go in vain and success is bound to follow.'Her father, Arvinder Singh, said the family was extremely proud to welcome Simranjit home after her passing-out parade and commissioning.'Our family, relatives and villagers are extremely happy. It is in the blood of our community to sacrifice everything for the nation. We have followed the teachings of the Sikh Gurus and tried to lead our lives with the same spirit,' he said.Arvinder said Simranjit Kaur had grown up witnessing the Army environment at home and had always dreamed of wearing the uniform.