Panaji: It is a proud moment for the tiny village of Sadolxem in Canacona. Its daughter, Abhida Barretto (23) just graduated from the prestigious Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, and has been commissioned into the Army as a lieutenant, and she has done it with distinction.
She is currently doing her internship in an army hospital in Jammu, a challenging posting she chose.
“Joining the Indian Armed Forces was always a dream of mine, albeit initially a vague one (a teacher once mentioned AFMC in one of her classes), as I have no military background in my family, and few Goans have chosen it as their life’s purpose,” says Abhida.
The path was never easy, either out of choice or circumstance. First came the pandemic which pushed tutorial classes for NEET online, yet Abhida topped the test in Goa through self-study and research. With little to no exposure to various educational and career options available, she took it upon herself to research opportunities for herself, to be sure the ambition AFMC had ignited in her was one really meant for her.
“Once I knew that I could serve as both a doctor and a soldier, that just made me study and work harder towards that goal,” she says. It is her belief that the biggest hurdle that holds people back is the lack of will to try.
“Once you decide that you are ready to put the effort, ready to ignore the hardships; anything and everything is possible,” she says.
To list her achievements: Lt. Dr. Barretto was adjudged the Second-Best Outgoing Student of the AFMC Graduate Wing for 2025 and was awarded the Maj. Gen. N.D.P. Karani Trophy for her outstanding performance in academics and extracurricular activities.
Her gold medals in anatomy, physiology, paediatrics, and medicine, along with distinction in 13 of the 14 MBBS subjects, are what earned her this recognition from the college — achieved even as she pursued an active interest in sports and college life. She even won the coveted College Blues in Athletics.
Abhida, Goa’s NEET topper for 2021, has achievements that catch the eye of the state for more reasons than one — she has shown that Goan children do choose to join the armed forces, and that despite limited opportunities and almost zero exposure to hone their talents, they succeed on sheer dint of determination.
“Now that I have become a part of the Indian Army, have been introduced to many Goan officers, both serving and retired, and it makes me proud to know I am part of this fraternity,” says Abhida, who credits her parents, Manovikas High School, Loyola Higher Secondary, eStellar Academy and AFMC among the factors that shaped her life and decisions.
Speaking about his daughter, her father Abel Barretto, a correspondent with The Navhind Times, and a proud agriculturist, says despite getting into several medical colleges, Abhida chose AFMC as she felt it would suit her temperament.
A chat with Abel makes it clear that he, and the family, expected nothing lesser from Abhida.
“She has a lot more to achieve, she has set very high targets for herself; we have high expectations,” he says matter-of-factly, adding that Abhida’s rigour is reflected in her decision to choose Jammu as her internship posting.
He also credits her passion for sports and her attitude. “She took up marathon running early on. Everything she took up, she took up with interest and gave it her 100 per cent; entirely devoted to the demands of her goal, always a willing and keen listener to guidance offered by her coaches,” says Abel.
Questioned about being a doctor-athlete, Abhida says, “Studying is not everything. We have one life, why not do all that you can?”
Her dreams and aspirations are limitless but she is game for every challenge as she follows them.
