Indian-Origin Teen Riddhi Chauhan to Lead 300 US Navy Cadets in New York

Seventeen-year-old Riddhi Chauhan, an Indian-origin student from Queens, New York, has achieved a remarkable milestone by being appointed Battalion Commanding Officer of her school's US Navy Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (NJROTC) unit. In this prestigious leadership role, she will oversee nearly 300 US Navy cadets, making her one of the few students to hold such a position. The NJROTC programme is designed to develop leadership, discipline and confidence among high school students, similar to India's National Cadet Corps (NCC).

According to media reports, Riddhi has also secured admission to the US Naval Academy Preparatory School, marking an important step toward her goal of joining the US Navy. She joined the NJROTC programme during her freshman year and steadily advanced through several leadership positions, including Academic Commander, STEM Commander, Platoon Leader and Inspection Commander. Riddhi now mentors junior cadets while leading daily training activities. Her parents, Dilip Chauhan and Ruchika Chauhan, are originally from Jaipur, Rajasthan.