Punjab's Gursleen Kaur Joins IAF as Commissioned Officer

By: Women Entrepreneurs Review Team | Monday, 15 June 2026

Gursleen Kaur from the Talwara village in Kandi area of Hoshiarpur district has earned the pride of the parents and the community by being a young achiever who has been accepted as an officer in the Indian Air Force. Her extraordinary achievement has been recognized throughout the region, and people everywhere refer to her as an inspiration to the young people.

Gursleen performed impressively and grabbed an impressive rank of 35 in the results announced on June 8, beating almost 600,000 to 700,000 who appeared in the highly competitive examination. She is making history as only two women candidates from Punjab passed the exam for the coveted job.

Gursleen became the second successful candidate from the state with one candidate from Rupnagar district getting the top rank, showcasing her outstanding determination and academic prowess.

Gursleen did her class XII from Non-Medical stream in BBMB DAV public school Talwara. She then went on to M.Sc. in Physics and B.Sc. (Honours) in Physics at Panjab University. Her aspiration to serve the country in the Armed Forces, led her to pursue broader academic qualifications, securing an M.A. degree in English in the same university in 2025.

Key Highlights:

• Ranked 35th nationwide, beating nearly 700,000 candidates in the IAF selection process
• One of only two women from Punjab selected as an Indian Air Force officer
• Achieved her dream after three SSB recommendations, showcasing exceptional perseverance and dedication

Her path to becoming an Air Force officer was one of perseverance. Gursleen never gave up, even though it was a battle for her to win. The Services Selection Board (SSB) and the Air Force Selection Board both endorsed her thrice before she finally succeeded. Her persistent efforts and dedication eventually paid off as the results of the written examination held in August 2025 led to her selection as a commissioned officer in the Indian Air Force.

Gursleen's family has a tradition of education and public service. Her father, Dharaminder Singh Baraich is a Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) with Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and her mother, Jaspal Kaur is a Lecturer at Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Talwara. The parents have been very proud of their daughter's success and attribute it to her hard work, discipline and dedication.

There were a lot of congratulatory messages received from all over Punjab after the announcement. Gursleen's success was met with great enthusiasm and admiration by the local community, social groups, educational institutions, and public representatives, who hailed it as a proud moment for Talwara and the Kandi region. Her achievements were noted for her focused effort and determination to overcome the challenges and achieve her aspirations.

Her success is now an inspiration to young women who want to pursue careers in the Armed Forces. In an era where women are increasingly becoming part of Indian defense forces, Gursleen's achievement is a testament to perseverance, excellence, and patriotism. She is about to take her first steps in the Indian Air Force and in her path carries the promise and good wishes of her community as well as a shining example for those who follow.