Sanchita Singh, a 23-year-old from a remote village in Balrampur district, has been selected for the Indian Air Force after completing 52 weeks of rigorous training at an academy in Hyderabad. Singh, an Isabella Thoburn college and NCC graduate, was motivated to apply for the defence forces after participating in the republic day parade. She is the first person in her family to pursue a career in the armed forces and was the only candidate from her group to be recommended for the IAF service.