Meet Prajwal Samrit, The Son Of A Kargil Martyr Who Gave Up 2 IIMs To Join The Indian Army

Prajwal Samrit’s father was martyred in the Kargil War. But his father’s dream, of seeing his son serve in the army, didn’t die with him - because Samrit is now joining the Indian Army as a cadet.

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Meet Prajwal Samrit, The Son Of A Kargil Martyr Who Gave Up 2 IIMs To Join The Indian Army

The first week of June 2023 will see new recruits walking the halls of the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun as gentlemen cadets. Among these cadets is one 23-year-old who deserves a special mention - Prajwal Samrit. Because he chose the IMA over IIMs, all to fulfill his later father’s dreams.

The son of a Kargil martyr, Samrit landed a spot at not just one, but two IIMs - IIM Khozikhode and IIM Indore with a CAT percentile of 97.51. However, Samrit’s father, Lance Naik Krushnaji Samrit, always wanted his son to serve in the army.

After multiple failed attempts, Samrit finally cleared the service selection board (SSB) interviews in his last attempt. And all this for a father he never even saw alive.

Never Saw His Father Alive

Naik Krushnaji Samrit attained martyrdom during the 1999 Kargil War, just 45 days before Prajwal was born. While Prajwal never saw his father alive, he got to know from his mother, Savita Samrit, that he always wanted his elder son to serve in the Indian Army.

Originally hailing from Pulgaon, Maharashtra, Prajwal’s mother Savita works as a data entry operator at the Army Hospital. Savita got married in 1991, but just seven years after her marriage lost her husband. Post her husband’s demise, she raised both her sons alone.

Prajwal’s elder brother Kunal, 25, opted for engineering. That’s when Prajwal decided to fulfill his later father’s dreams. According to news reports, Savita Samrit shared that when Kunal didn’t do it (serve in the IMA), she’d hoped Prajwal would fulfill his later father’s dreams instead.

“My husband wanted to see my elder son become an Army officer. After Kunal couldn’t do it, we hoped Prajwal did it. I feel very proud,” shared Savita.

Ninth’s Time The Charm

Prajwal was determined to fulfill his father’s dream. But landing a spot at the IMA was no mean feat.

Right after Grade 12, Prajwal took a drop year to prepare for the IMA entrance. In his first attempt, he cleared the SSB but failed the medical test. He tried again the next year, while also moving to Pune and enrolling in the B.Sc. course at the Savitribai Phule Pune University. Despite his best attempts, he failed to crack the entrance in the next seven tries.

After eight failed attempts, Prajwal was prepared to quit the idea altogether. That was when his neighbor Nitin Kothe, a teacher at the IMA, encouraged him to give a last and final attempt. Since it was his last attempt, Prajwal also prepared for a backup and gave the CAT exam.

But for Prajwal, the ninth time was the charm. He cracked the SSB, while also bagging a spot at two IIMs. As per reports, Prajwal prepared for the exams on his own. However, he shared on social media (LinkedIn) that he utilized online videos to prepare for his CAT exam.