Two years ago, at 106 kilos, Indian-Australian Guri Kaur decided to join the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
“I always wanted to be in the army and I was determined to join the force. I learnt about the process of joining the force from my friends,” Ms Kaur tells SBS Hindi.
Adelaide-based Ms Kaur who had battled with several health issues for years discovered she needed to get fit quickly to be able to fulfil her childhood dream.
“I was never really given a chance to pursue my dreams. But when it came, I knew I had to do something about it,” she says.
It was her sheer determination which made her sign up for a weight loss program.
“I was 106 kilos in 2016. I signed up for a weight loss program and lost 26 kilos in a year. I needed to do that so that I could be physically fit to join the Force,” she says.
Her dream came true when she was accepted for an 11-week training course.
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“Training was tough. We not only need to be physically fit but also mentally fit. They test for your knowledge, your strength and try to break you to make you resilient,” she says.
Ms Kaur was mid-way through her training when she received the news her mother had passed away in India.
“I was devastated. But my father said that my mother was incredibly proud of me pursuing my dreams at this age and that I should not give up.
“I kept going and today I am the first member of my family – on my side and my in-laws' side to be a member of the ADF,” Ms Kaur tells SBS Hindi.
Ms Kaur successfully completed her training and is now a member of the Defence Force.
"I am now with the Air Force in base protection and security field.
“Focus and positivity helped me achieve my dream. Don’t pay attention to what people say. If you are positive and focused, you can achieve anything,” she says.
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