On a very fine day, my parents visited the 2021 India International Trade Fair and came back with a book in hand. It was titled ‘Marching On; An autobiography of Major Priya Jhingan, Lady Cadet No. 1 of the Indian Army.’
I was bemused at first, but I dived into the book with few expectations, expecting it to be like all autobiographies. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I was engrossed in it.
For a moment, I thought Major Priya Jhingan was a fictional character in a superhero movie, only to jerk in surprise at the realization that there is very much a real person who experienced this. It seems fictitious, only because of its sheer amazingness.
Major Priya Jhingan, from a mischievous schoolgirl, grew into Lady Cadet No. 1 of the Indian Army. Now, this is what I call passing with flying colours in the test that is called ‘life.’
I was reeled in by the surprising relatability of the book. Even though I do not wish to join the army myself, the principle remains the same. Never give up until you achieve what you desire.
Even though joining the army as a woman remained a far-fetched dream in her youth, she made it happen, and saying that I was inspired by her willpower is an understatement.
“My desire to join the Army was so sacred and so invincible that despite all the improbabilities, it had made its fruition possible. I believe ‘Never let anyone convince you that you are not worth your aspirations or that your dream is too big to be achieved, have faith in your competence, persevere and work towards it resiliently and yes, rekindle your desire every day till it completely exhumes you, there is no reason why you will not conquer it all and emerge triumphantly.”
This excerpt from the book gave me chills. It is the sheer confidence and unyielding perseverance that I admired the most.
There is a description of a legendary event in the book; The Passing Out Parade of 6th March 1993, for on this day “History was being created; the first batch of women was being commissioned into the Indian Army.” Reading this made me swell with pride, as if I were there myself, witnessing it firsthand; looking in on her life from the sidelines and cheering her on.
Even after leaving the army (compulsorily), Major Priya found another passion, giving her all in that too. It made my own doubts simmer away slightly. You see, I used to think you can only have one dream. But what after you fulfill it? This book made me realise that my fears were unfounded. I could find something else to be passionate about too because the passion resides in me, not the dream itself.
I recommend this book to people who need some motivation to just go after their dreams, no matter how impossible it may seem. In addition, fellow young ladies who can now join the army through NDA, this book may prove to be useful to you too.
I, myself, found inspiration from this gem of a book. It is warm and stirring, evoking a range of emotions. “What an amazing personality to have!” is what I thought when I finished the book. I wanted to emulate the courage portrayed by the women of the Indian army.
I was reminded of a lot. To never give up. To keep going on even in the face of adversity.
Major Priya mentions her inspiration from the book ‘The Alchemist’ by Paulo Coelho:
“It is the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life so interesting!”
It truly could not be better said.
Thank you for writing this book, Major Priya Jhingan. I know women will be inspired to do something great after reading it. I surely was.
Excellent book review on a great subject. Inspiring.Thank you.
Hi Yati, you have done a wonderful job in reviewing the book. Very succinctly you have brought out the crux of the book. The fact that the book will motivate one and all, especial young women, is abundantly clear from your review. You have excellent command over the
English written language. Looking forward to more such well written reviews from you in the future too. 👍
Hi Yati, just reading the beautiful manner in which you have presented the review is so inspiring, that I can’t wait to read the book. It is indeed heartening to see the youth of today, especially young women showing an interest in such subjects. More power to you girl!!! Keep writing 👍
Very beautifully written Yati! 🥰
Looking forward to reading this & your posts❤️❤️
All the best 👍🏻
What a beautiful review. The author is truly an inspirational figure but to get a glimpse of her and the book through the lens of a young reader is delightful. The piece is heartfelt and does leave you hopeful, reassured and uplifted. How old are you again?
Well dissection of this book ,excellent job Yati.. .this book is highly recommended. Informative, inspiring and exclusively positive review of this book. All the best.
Major Priya is inspiration for all youths young defence aspirants
Every woman has a unique story, it is a story of inspiration, passion, love or strength.
The anecdotes and narration will keep defence aspirants, young girls and readers of all age groups ‘just glued’ to her book.
Thank You Yati for nice summarisation of book.
What a fantabulous and terse review !! Major Priya embarked on a path less traveled by women and showed to the whole world that with sheer grit and determination one can achieve his dreams. Unfettered by challenging circumstances she achieved what she dreamt of and became a trend-setter for women who want to serve the nation.
Thank you so much Yati for such an inspiring review of the book. The inspiring autobiography that will transcend ages !!
Yati, I am really impressed by your review. I find you inspiring too. Inspite of all odds you too are a fighter. The lines chosen by you are indeed inspiring . I too will pick up a copy of this book. Keep this good work going. All the best always
🍄🍄🍄 Sooo good! 🧀
Well dissection of this book ,excellent job Yati.. .this book is highly recommended. Informative, inspiring and exclusively positive review of this book. All the best.
Yati, ur review of the book is heart warming. The book and the author’s journey is inspiring indeed. But your review and the indepth understanding of the emotions behind it are equally appreciable. May you shine and keep glowing thru your writing. Its lovely to see kids I saw in kindergarten, turn out to be so talented and enterprising. Wishing you all the success. God bless you bache. Much love to you.
your review of the this book forced me to buy one copy of my own
Author can created the curiosity that one must read the book. Very well written.
A truly inspiring journey. Role model for all especially future women in the Indian Armed Forces. Excellent , impactful and informative review well done Yati
Thank you Yati for such a book review. I am going to read this book and will surely gift one to my daughter.
It is really wonderful to look into the life of Major Priya Jhingan through her autobiography via review of Yati Rajpurohit.
Salute to the great soldier like Major Priya who is a real hero for the youths especially aspiring girls wishing to serve our motherland through defense services.
Nicely summarised the book by Yati Rajpurohit. It motivated me to read the autobiography of Major Priya.
A life less ordinary, Major Priya! It was such a pleasure to go through your anecdotal journey, with no holds barred. Perhaps a role model for the GenNext, more so for the fairer ones!
Thank you Yati for a wonderful review. With a unique style of writing, you condensed the journey of a thousand miles into a collector’s brief worth cherishing. Best wishes.
This is such a beautiful review , as one can feel the emotions you went through while reading the book . I have read it too , and recommend it all dream chasers , especially the girls who wish to don the uniform like Major Priya ! Kudos to you for reviewing such an amazing book !