Among the cadets passing out as newly commissioned Lieutenants of the Spring Term 2026 at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, on Saturday is Junior Under Officer Prannay Chhabra, who will carry forward a four-generation military legacy.“Born into a family where the uniform is more than attire, it is identity and with this he represents the fourth generation of warriors committed to the nation’s defence. The stars he wears are not just rank, but they are more of a responsibility. His journey reminds every young aspirant that a true legacy is not preserved by memory alone, it is renewed by action,” the Army Training Command (ARTRAC) said on Friday.The family’s association with the armed forces began with his great-grandfather, Capt Gopaldas Banga, a doctor in the British Indian Army Medical Corps, who served in Egypt during the Second World War, according to information shared by ARTRAC.Several Indian medical units served in Egypt and the wider North African campaign during the war, primarily attached to the 4th and 5th Indian Divisions under the British Eighth Army.From the medical stream, the baton passed on to the Ordnance Corps with Prannay’s grandfather, Lt Col Arjun Dev Chhabra, whose responsibility was to ensure that fighting forces never lacked the tools of war.He later encouraged both his sons to join the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla. Prannay’s uncle, Lt Col Naveen Chhabra (retd), served in the Regiment of Artillery. Prannay is also an alumnus of the NDA.Prannay’s father, Maj Gen Praveen Chhabra, is a serving Armoured Corps officer. His appointments include General Officer Commanding 20 Mountain Division, Inspector General (Operations) with the National Security Guard, and General Officer Commanding 72 Sub Area in Ladakh.“Now as Prannay prepares to script his own chapter in the Army, unlike inheritance of wealth or comfort, what flows through his lineage is something far rarer, a living tradition of sacrifice, discipline and honour. What makes his story remarkable is not merely continuity, but a conscious choice. In a world of expanding civilian opportunities, he has chosen the honourable profession of arms, the path that demands grit over glamour and courage over comfort. It is precisely the challenge that he embraces,” the Army said.While there are a large number of second- and third-generation officers in the armed forces, fourth-generation service is relatively rare, and fifth-generation is even rarer. The course that passed out from IMA in December 2025 included a fifth-generation officer.Also passing out on Saturday is Cadet Suryansh Pathak, who will become the third generation in his family to wear the uniform. His grandfather served in the Army Service Corps, while his father was commissioned into 11 Madras and served for 36 years.As a young Major attached with the Rashtriya Rifles, his father was awarded the Sena Medal for Gallantry for courage and leadership in counter-insurgency operations, and later commanded an Infantry Brigade along the Line of Control.On his maternal side, the military tradition was equally strong; his grandfather served in the Gorkha Rifles for over three decades and fought in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, where he was awarded the Vir Chakra.“As he prepares to join his parental unit, Suryansh recognises the responsibility before him. Soldiers will judge him by conduct, not by surname. The legacy behind him is strong, but his career will be defined by his own actions. The uniform demands nothing less,” ARTRAC said.Among the eight pioneering women cadets of the first batch at IMA preparing to take the first step out of the Academy on Saturday is Ann Rose Mathew, who would be the second generation in her family. Her father is from the Indian Navy, which inspired and shaped her destiny.