Pune’s Khushmeet Kaur Clears AFCAT, Set to Become First IAF Officer in Her Family
By Radhika Sharma
Viman Nagar, 17th June 2026: At 23, Khushmeet Kaur Sona from Viman Nagar has achieved a milestone few in her family ever imagined. After years of preparation, multiple attempts and an unexpected shift in career aspirations, she has cleared the Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) and is set to join the Indian Air Force Academy near Hyderabad for training.
With her selection, Khushmeet will become the first member of her family to join the Armed Forces and the first officer from her family to don the uniform.
“There is no lineage of the Defence Forces in my family. I will be the first officer in my family who will be joining the Forces,” she says.
For Khushmeet, the achievement is the culmination of a journey defined by perseverance and self-discovery rather than a lifelong plan.
“It says that whatever is there in your destiny, it comes to you, aligns for you, and that is the Air Force for me,” she says.
Interestingly, her initial ambition was to join the Army. She made three attempts through the Combined Defence Services (CDS) examination route, eventually finding her place in the Air Force through AFCAT.
“Joining the Air Force was never part of my plan initially because I was very inclined towards the Army,” she says.
Her interest in the Armed Forces took shape during her time at the National Cadet Corps (NCC) while pursuing her undergraduate studies at Christ University in Bengaluru.
“I was alone in Bengaluru, and there was ample time after college hours. So, I opted for the National Cadet Corps, and it was a three-year-long exposure. I was in the Army Wing, and I was part of the Republic Day Camp,” she recalls.
What began as an extracurricular activity soon evolved into a defining experience.
Having moved to Bengaluru for higher studies, Khushmeet joined NCC to make the most of her time outside the classroom.
“I went to a completely new city. After classes ended at 3 pm, I had the rest of the day free. I wanted to do something in extracurriculars. I signed up for NCC, and I got in,” she says.
Her NCC journey exposed her to activities that would ultimately shape her career choices.
“I have done mountaineering. We scaled an unnamed and previously unclimbed mountain in the Himalayas. I have also done firing,” she says, describing the experience as “a life less ordinary”.
Among her most significant achievements was representing the Karnataka and Goa Directorate at the Republic Day Camp, where she secured the All India Best Cadet Bronze Medal — an accomplishment she considers a turning point in her journey towards the Armed Forces.
Academically, Khushmeet completed her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from Christ University between 2021 and 2024. She later pursued a postgraduate diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) during 2025-26.
She completed her schooling (till 10th) at Lexicon International School, Wagholi, and later studied at The Orbis School (till 12th).
Coming from a family with no defence background, Khushmeet is the daughter of businessman Gurjeet Singh Sona and homemaker Rajwinder Kaur Sona. She has two siblings, one of whom is studying animation, while the other is preparing for medical entrance examinations.
Despite facing setbacks in her repeated attempts to join the Army, she says each experience strengthened her resolve rather than discouraging her.
“I’ve tried for this for two years. I got to interact with a lot of officers and expose myself to a lot of activities,” she says.
As she prepares to begin training at the Indian Air Force Academy, Khushmeet looks back on a journey shaped by resilience, exposure and evolving aspirations — one that eventually led her to a calling she now proudly embraces as her own.
