UP Sainik School in Lucknow gets first woman principal in 65 years

Lucknow: Colonel Seema Mishra has been appointed principal of Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey Uttar Pradesh Sainik School here, becoming the first woman to head the 65-year-old institute, education department officials said on Thursday.

Her appointment for a two-year period on deputation was approved following a letter issued by the Sainik School Society under the Ministry of Defence on October 30. The Uttar Pradesh government finalised the process and issued the formal order through Additional Chief Secretary (Basic and Secondary Education) Partha Sarthi Sen Sharma on December 3.

Col Mishra, an officer of the Army Educational Corps (AEC), will take charge from Colonel Rajesh Raghav, who has been serving as principal since January 2021.

Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey Uttar Pradesh Sainik School, Lucknow, was the first in the country to admit girl cadets, beginning with 15 admissions in 2018.

Commissioned into the AEC in 2003, Col Mishra has over 22 years of service. She holds a Master's degree in Mathematics, BEd and MPhil in Education.

Col Mishra is the wife of martyr Major Nitesh Roy, who was killed while deployed in Afghanistan in 2010 and was awarded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously.