After Agnipath dashes dreams of becoming IAF Airman, Haryana man passes out of IMA as Army Lieutenant

Speaking to The Indian Express, Major General Yash Mor (retd), who runs an academy that offers offline and online courses for youngsters preparing to join the defence services, said that Hardeep was mentored by him online to prepare him for the Services Selection Board (SSB).

“This was his ninth SSB attempt, which he cleared and joined the IMA in 2024 after coming 54th in the all-India merit list,” said Maj Gen Mor.

In a podcast recorded by Maj Gen Mor after Hardeep’s selection for IMA last year, the young boy recalled the hardships that his mother had to face to raise him and his three sisters after their father died.

“My father was a farmer, and we have a small land holding. To supplement her income and bring up her children, our mother used to work at a school as a mid-day meal worker, earning around Rs 800 per month. In the evenings, she would sell milk from our two buffaloes to earn some more money,” he said.

Growing up, Hardeep realised he also needed to help his mother make ends meet; while pursuing his studies, he would tend the fields. He studied till Class 10 in a village school and then finished his Class 12 before applying for an Airman’s job in the IAF.

“I was initially rejected in the medical for the post of Airman on minor grounds, but I got these infirmities corrected and again got selected. Out of around 3,000 people selected for the Airmen’s vacancies, I was 59th in the all-India merit list. But sadly, that dream was dashed when the government put all those selections on hold and instead introduced the Agnipath scheme,” he said.

It was this disappointment that propelled Hardeep to complete his IGNOU graduation and then appear in the Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination, which he cleared. However, he could not pass the SSB eight times and only cracked it on his ninth attempt.

‘I never gave up hope’

“People in my village used to say that I would lose out on lower-level jobs since I was fixated on getting an officer’s job. However, I never gave up hope and kept improving myself with every attempt,” said Hardeep to Maj Gen Mor in the podcast.

On Saturday, the young lad passed out from IMA with the Lieutenant’s pips on his shoulders and watched by his proud mother as he marched out in the passing out parade. Lieutenant Hardeep Gill will join the 14th Battalion of Sikh Light Infantry.