Slain Colonel Mahadik's wife joins Army as an officer

Chennai: In an inspiring example of grit and courage, the wife of Colonel Santosh Mahadik, who was killed fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir nearly two years back, today joined the army as an officer after 11 months of gruelling training.

38-year-old Swati Mahadik, a mother of two, was commissioned in the Army as an officer in the Army Ordnance Corps.

Her husband Col Mahadik, a recipient of the Sena medal for gallantry, was killed in an anti-terror operation in Kupwara in north Kashmir in November 2015.

He was an officer from the Army's elite 21 Para Special forces and according to his colleagues, he was known for always leading from the front.

Following her husband's footstep, Swati had joined joined the Army's Officers Training Academy (OTA) in October last year.

"Swati Mahadik was today commissined as an officer after she completed her training at the OTA in Chennai," said a senior Army officer, who did not wish to be named.

He said Swati will join the Army Ordnance Corps in Pune.

Another woman -- Nidhi Dubey -- was also commissioned as an officer today. Nidhi had also lost her husband who was a Naik in the Army.