Major Rishabh Singh Sambyal Retires, Sheds Light on Special Forces Training and ADC Sacrifices

Former Army Major Rishabh Singh Sambyal announced his retirement after 12 years of service, including three years as Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to President Droupadi Murmu. In a podcast with Raj Shamani, he described the personal and professional demands of the Special Forces probation phase and the ADC appointment, noting that officers must remain unmarried and largely isolated from family life.

Ex-ADC Major Rishabh Singh Sambyal’s ADC role explained: How many aides does the President have?

The ADC post coordinates the President’s daily schedule and maintains protocol. The President of India is supported by five ADCs: three from the Army, one from the Navy and one from the Air Force.

Ex-ADC Major Rishabh Singh Sambyal’s ADC role explained: How many aides does the President have?

Special Forces candidates undergo an intensive 90-day probation that isolates them in a “completely cut-off world” and subjects them to continuous stress, sleep deprivation and physically exhausting tasks. Successful candidates earn the Balidan Badge, symbolising the sacrifice required of the elite force.

Ex-ADC Major Rishabh Singh Sambyal’s ADC role explained: How many aides does the President have?

• ADC complement: five officers (three Army, one Navy, one Air Force).

Ex-ADC Major Rishabh Singh Sambyal’s ADC role explained: How many aides does the President have?

• Probation length for Special Forces: roughly 90 days of continuous, controlled stress.

Hindustan Times

President Droupadi Murmu has emphasized that Special Forces are deployed when regular infantry lacks the specific training or equipment required for a given threat environment. The Ministry of Defence reiterates that ADCs must be available round-the-clock, a condition that includes a voluntary “no-marriage” clause to ensure uninterrupted focus on presidential duties.

Ex-ADC Major Rishabh Singh Sambyal’s ADC role explained: How many aides does the President have?

Sambyal’s revelations provide a rare glimpse into the rigors faced by India’s elite troops and the personal costs borne by senior military aides. The disclosure of the 90-day isolation protocol highlights the extreme standards applied to ensure operatives can withstand interrogation tactics in combat.

Hindustan Times

• “For roughly 90 days, you are put into a completely cut-off world under controlled stressful situations to assess your capabilities... For 90 days, it is rigorous training, sleepless nights, tasks, and missions,” — Major Rishabh Singh Sambyal

Hindustan Times

• “I am not married. So there is a clause for the ADCs that they can’t get married… they have to stay away from the family, and I think this is the biggest sacrifice,” — Major Rishabh Singh Sambyal

The Indian Express