ROHTAK: Turning repeated setbacks into stepping stones to success, 19-year-old Parul Dahiya from Kural Bass village in Bhiwani district has secured All-India Rank (AIR) 15 in the girls’ category in the recently announced National Defence Academy (NDA) examination. The achievement marks a significant milestone in her journey towards becoming a defence officer.Parul’s success comes after three unsuccessful attempts at the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview. Although her initial attempts did not go as planned, she continued working on her preparation, identified her shortcomings and improved her performance. Her perseverance eventually paid off as she cleared the selection process on her fourth attempt.Her journey highlights the importance of persistence and learning from failures. Speaking to TOI, Parul said her earlier attempts were affected by inadequate preparation and difficulties during the screening process. However, she remained determined to improve and approached her latest attempt with greater confidence and better preparation.Currently pursuing BTech, Parul completed her schooling in the non-medical stream at Aryan Global School, Rohtak. She aspires to join the Indian Air Force, which is her preferred service among the Army, Navy and Air Force. Her final service allocation will depend on her preferences and the selection process.She said her aspiration to become an officer took shape when she was in Class IX. During a motivational session at her school, Army officer Colonel Rajbir Sharma inspired students by sharing his experiences. Around the same time, opportunities for girls to join the NDA opened up, further motivating her to pursue a career in the armed forces.Sharing tips for aspirants, Parul emphasised the importance of regular mathematics practice and a thorough understanding of NCERT textbooks from Classes IX to XII for the written examination. She also underwent coaching for the SSB interview and believes that thorough preparation, sincerity and a positive attitude are essential for success.“Stay sincere, maintain the right attitude and keep working on your preparation. You can achieve your goal,” she said, sharing her message with fellow aspirants.Parul’s father, Sukhbir Singh Dahiya, serves in the Haryana Police, while her mother, Binkesh, is a homemaker. Her younger brother, Arpit, is a Class VIII student.
