“The day I was ranked Major, my eyes welled with tears. The only person I could think of was my grandmother. I grew up in a village where girls sporting short hair or playing sports was considered taboo, but she was the one who redefined those boundaries for me. She always believed achievement had no gender and became my strongest shield. While others saw a girl who didn’t fit the mold, she saw a granddaughter with potential, supporting my career and encouraging my passion for sports when no one else would. I remember staring at others playing volleyball in 7th grade, wishing I could just touch the ball; eventually, I taught myself the sport entirely by observing—no coach, no guidance. I even struggled to scrape together 100 rupees to buy my own volleyball.
The turning point came at a sports hostel in Andhra Pradesh. My grandmother’s belief in me remained my constant anchor; she was the one who told me, “I fought for you, Jaya. It is time you make me proud.” Those words changed everything. They gave me the strength to build my own path, working in an STD booth and coaching at a convent school to become financially independent while I completed Master of Physical Education (M.P.Ed).
My life took its most defining turn when I joined St. Francis College as a Physical Director. The college management recognized my discipline and potential, inviting me to revive the institution’s long-dormant NCC wing. This led to my formal commission and the grueling three-month Pre-Commission training at the Officers Training Academy in Gwalior. It was a massive sacrifice, as I had to leave my 17-month-old daughter behind, but that training forged the officer I am today. Ever since, there was no looking back.
Today, as an Educator and NCC Officer at Kasturba Gandhi College, I have been honored with numerous national recognitions. Having guided several cadets to the Republic Day camps in Delhi, I now know that barriers don’t stop you—they show you what you can overcome. To every young woman I mentor, I say: “The world might tell you what you can’t be, but you define your own limit. Be prepared to fight your own battles.””
- Major D. Jayasudha, NCC Officer