While most teenagers are getting ready for school, 17-year-old Riddhi Chauhan is already on the drill field, leading nearly 300 cadets through morning practice. The Indian-American student from Benjamin N. Cardozo High School in Queens serves as the *Battalion Commanding Officer of her school’s Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) unit, the highest student leadership position in the programme.
According to ANI, Riddhi has also secured admission to the Naval Academy Preparatory School, taking a major step towards her dream of becoming a commissioned officer in the United States Navy.
Riddhi joined the NJROTC programme as a freshman to improve her confidence and leadership skills. Over the years, she worked her way up by taking on several leadership roles, including Academic Commander, STEM Commander, Platoon Leader and Inspection Commander, before becoming Battalion Commanding Officer.
Today, she manages the daily activities of the battalion, oversees training sessions and mentors junior cadets. Four days a week, she reaches school before 7 am to conduct drill practice before classes begin.
Her achievements go beyond leadership. As Academic Commander, she helped her school’s team qualify for the second round of the Leadership and Academic Bowl for two consecutive years and contributed to the unit’s first-place finish in a national academic examination. She also led the development of the battalion’s first SeaPerch underwater robot, giving cadets practical experience in robotics and engineering.
Riddhi believes leadership is about serving others and setting an example. She says the values of humility, compassion and selfless service taught by Mahant Swami Maharaj and her involvement with BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha have played an important role in shaping her leadership style.
The daughter of Ruchika and Dilip Chauhan, whose family traces its roots to Jaipur, Rajasthan, Riddhi hopes to join the United States Naval Academy after completing the preparatory programme.
At just 17, she has already led hundreds of cadets and inspired many younger students. Her journey is a reminder that dedication, discipline and hard work can help young people achieve remarkable goals.
