Col. Santosh Mahadik's wife commissioned as Lieutenant

Swati Mahadik, wife of Colonel Santosh Yashwant Mahadik, who lost his life fighting the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir in 2015, has been commissioned as Army Officer on Saturday.

She joined the Indian Army as Lieutenant.

Swati, a graduate from the University of Pune, cleared the Service Selection Board (SSB) examination in 2016 and was undergoing further training at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai.

"When you lose someone who is close to you it hurts. His (Colonel Mahadik) first love was his uniform and his unit, so I just had to wear this. It just happened and I did not even work harder for this. Even my family was with me, so I know I will be able to do it. After wearing this uniform, I want to know what work has to be done and I will learn it," Lieutenant Swati told ANI.

Colonel Santosh Yashwant Mahadik, the commanding officer of 41 Rashtriya Rifles, was killed in a counter-infiltration operation in the Manigah forest of Kupwara district.

An officer from the elite 21 Para-Special Forces unit, Colonel Mahadik was awarded a Sena Medal for gallantry during Operation Rhino in the North-East in 2003.