The late Colonel Santosh Mahadik, who was the commanding officer of the 41 Rashtriya Rifles, died fighting terrorists in Kupwara, Kashmir in November 2015. He was awarded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously for his actions.
After his death, his wife, Swati Mahadik, decided to honour her martyred husband by joining the army and serving the country. Her decision stunned many, but her resolve was unwavering
Although Swati was over the upper age limit to join the army, the Indian Army and Ministry of Defence relaxed the age limit for her so she could make her dream a reality.
After several rounds of physical fitness and medical examinations, she was selected to join the Officers Training Academy in Chennai.
She took part in the passing out parade, held in Chennai, on Saturday to join the Indian Army as a Lieutenant in the Army Ordnance Corps.
As she finished her parade, Lt. Swati Mahadik broke down but was consoled by members of her family along with a senior army officer’s wife.
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Present at the ceremony were their two children – daughter Kartikee, 12, and son Swaraj, seven, her mother-in-law and her parents, the Hindustan Times reported.
Lt. Swati Mahadik, who is from the hilly Satara area in western Maharashtra, is specially trained to help children with learning disabilities and autism.
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