Valentina D’Mello, 23, daughter of a Pune-based police head constable, is all set to join the Indian Army’s Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai in April.
Valentina D’Mello, 23, daughter of a Pune-based police head constable, is all set to join the Indian Army’s Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai in April.
Valentina, an IT engineer with Wipro Technologies Limited, stood tenth in the technical category of the OTA and will undergo training before being commissioned as an officer in the Short Service Commission (SSC) of the Indian Army.
Valentina’s father, police head constable, John D’Mello, 48, is attached to the Kothrud police station, while her mother Anamary, 43, is a homemaker. Valentina has a brother, Reynold, who is preparing for his SSC examinations.
Valentina did her schooling and junior college from Vidya Bhavan High School in Model Colony and completed her computer engineering with distinction from KP College of Engineering in Satara in 2009. She was hired by Wipro through a campus interview.
Valentina’s mother, Anamary confessed to DNA on Saturday that her husband was actually unhappy when Valentina was born as she was a girl child. “Soon, we realised how wrong we were. With her achievements today, she is more than a boy for us.”
John, who has not studied beyond standard XII, said, “I was very keen and eager that my children would study hard and become officers and not police constables.”
John said, “I am so proud that Valentina has fulfilled that dream.
“Valentina was always attracted to sports and physical activity. Since her childhood, she has accompanied me to police parades and police sporting events.”
Valentina, who trained at Lt Col (retd) Brahmankar’s Apex Careers for the Services Selection Board interview, said she had benefited from the intensive coaching.
Explaining her attraction to the uniform, Valentina said, “My father’s police uniform always inspired me, but I found the olive green of the Indian Army more challenging and adventurous. I have always been attracted to the army and enjoyed watching Republic Day parades.”
Valentina is fitness conscious. She explained how even after returning home at midnight, she used to get up at 6 am for her daily workout at the police grounds in Shivajinagar.
However, Valentina’s choice was not readily accepted by her mother. “My mother is very possessive. She wanted me to be in Pune, but I convinced her and my father supported my decision. I am extremely happy today.”
On a more emotional note, she remarked, “When I pass out, I will first salute my father, for what he has made me.”
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