Pulwama martyr's wife earns Indian Army uniform after successfully passing army training

Lieutenant Nitika Kaul was among the 31 Short Service Commission woman cadets who graduated today from the institution.

"...I'm really proud of you," said Lt Gen Y K Joshi, chief of the Indian Army's Northern Command, who pipped Kaul's uniform, in a heartfelt compliment.

Major Dhoundiyal was martyred along with four other soldiers -- Sepoy Hari Singh, 27, Havaldar Sheo Ram, 37, and Sepoy Ajay Kumar, 27 -- during an 18-hour gunbattle in Pulwama, Kashmir, on February 20, 2019.

In the operation, a Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist suspected to be a key conspirator of Pulwama attack, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, was neutralised among others.

Nikita Kaul was an employee of a private company when her husband was martyred, said an NDTV report.

She swore to join the armed forces following her husband's path and joined OTA, Chennai, it informed.

After 11 months, she is now commissioned into the Ordnance Corp of the Indian Army, posted under the Southwestern Command, it said.

Union minister Smriti Irani also tweeted a congratulatory message for Nikita Kaul. "Lt. @NitikaKaul , you’re an embodiment of dedication, determination and devotion of India’s Nari Shakti. Major Vibhuti Dhoundiyal would be smiling today with joy and pride seeing Stars on your shoulder. My best wishes to you in all your endeavours,"she wrote.

"My journey has just started...I'd like to thank everyone who kept faith in me. My mother-in-law, my mother, and others who have been part of this journey," Lt Kaul said, quoted the NDTV report.

"It's like a parallel world. The day I stepped in, I felt that I am taking the same journey that he took. He is somewhere around here. Looking at me, holding me and saying, 'you just did it'. I just love you Vibhu, I'll always love you," she added.