Sqn Ldr Pallakshi Prasad (28)
Now posted in Kanpur since 2025, Pallakshi is married to a serving IAF doctor.
For Pallakshi, whose name means “soft”, the achievement follows years of regimented preparation alongside demanding military postings. “I always knew I would become a doctor,” she said, crediting her parents’ support despite both being engineers. It wasn’t about long hours every day, but about being consistent,” she said. Her father, Chandra Kishore Prasad, principal chief safety officer, Central Railway, said her determination was evident early, citing her leadership as head girl and a second-place finish in an international English Olympiad.
Preparing for NEET PG while on duty required consistency over long study stretches. “I used to study whenever time permitted — between patients, after duty hours — through books and online platforms. She credited mentor Dr Vineet Behera, a serving military doctor, for her success and noted that she presented a research paper on chronic kidney disease at the Bombay Medical Congress during her internship. She is considering radiology, internal medicine and dermatology for specialisation. She is the first in her family to join the Armed Forces, while her parents and younger brother, Kshitij Prasad, pursued engineering and technology.