Seventeen-year-old Riddhi Chauhan rises to the top student leadership role in a prestigious US Navy-backed programme.
Seventeen-year-old Indian-American student Riddhi Chauhan has become the Battalion Commanding Officer of the Navy Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (NJROTC) at Benjamin N. Cardozo High School in Queens, New York, taking charge of nearly 300 cadets in one of the programme’s highest student leadership positions.
As Battalion Commanding Officer, Chauhan oversees battalion operations, training schedules and the welfare of fellow cadets while balancing her academic studies. Her responsibilities begin well before regular school hours, with drill practice starting before 7 am on most weekdays. She described the demanding routine as one of the most rewarding experiences of her life.
The NJROTC is a leadership and character development programme supported by the US Navy and offered in high schools across the United States. It aims to build discipline, teamwork, responsibility and leadership among students while encouraging civic engagement.
Chauhan’s appointment follows a steady rise through several leadership positions within the battalion, including Academic Commander, STEM Commander, Platoon Leader and Inspection Commander. During her tenure as Academic Commander, she helped her school’s team qualify for the second round of the Leadership and Academic Bowl in two consecutive years and secure first place in a national academic competition. As STEM Commander, she led fellow cadets in building the unit’s first SeaPerch underwater robot.
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Over the course of her journey, Chauhan has mentored more than 200 cadets, demonstrating a commitment to teamwork and leadership
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Inspired by her experience in the programme, she now plans to pursue a career as a naval officer and is preparing to attend the Naval Academy Preparatory School as the next step towards joining the US Navy
Her achievement has drawn attention within the Indian diaspora, highlighting the growing contribution of Indian-origin youth to leadership roles in education, public service and the armed forces in the United States.
