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Captain CR Leena Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

AgeNot known (as of 2022)

ProfessionDoctor (retired from the Indian Army)

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseSanjay Dhadwal

Captain CR Leena Biography

Captain CR Leena is a retired Indian Army medical officer and surgeon who became the first woman officer in the Indian Army to be awarded the Sena Medal (G

Early life and background

Captain CR Leena pursued medical training at the Armed Forces Medical College, where she completed her MBBS after qualifying in the entrance examination. She later advanced her clinical education with a Master of Surgery (MS) in Oncology. These qualifications formed the foundation for a career that bridged military service and civilian surgical oncology.

Military service and gallantry

After completing her medical degree in 1989, Leena was commissioned into the Army Medical Corps as a lieutenant. She served in the Indian Army from 1990 until 1996, holding the rank of Captain before taking premature retirement. During her service she was posted as the Medical Officer to the 3rd Battalion of the 5th Gorkha Rifles in Anantnag, South Kashmir.

In July 1992, while moving with a battalion convoy toward regimental headquarters, the unit came under intense enemy fire. As the battalion’s medical officer, Leena moved into the hazard zone to render medical assistance to wounded soldiers despite heavy and sustained gunfire. Her actions during that engagement were credited with saving multiple lives. For those actions she was recognized with the Sena Medal for gallantry in January 1995, making her the first woman officer in the Indian Army to receive a gallantry Sena Medal.

Medical career after the Army

Following her departure from military service, Leena continued a medical career in civilian hospitals. From 1996 to 2000 she worked as a junior resident at Holy Family Hospital and was promoted to senior resident in 2000, a post she held through 2001. In 2002 she joined the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre as a clinical assistant and remained in that role until 2003.

Between 2004 and 2007 she practiced as an associate consultant at Rockland Hospital in New Delhi. She then moved to Fortis Hospital in New Delhi, serving as a consultant from 2008 through 2013. From 2014 to 2015 she was a consultant at Dharamshila Cancer Center. In 2016 she returned to the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre to work as a consultant in surgical oncology.

Public profile

Leena is known publicly under her maiden name and, after marriage, as Leena Dhadwal. She is married to Sanjay Dhadwal, a retired major of the Indian Army. Her service record lists her branch as the Army Medical Corps with service number MS-12319. Physical details recorded in public sources note a height of approximately 162 cm (5 feet 4 inches) and dark brown eyes.

Leena’s military award and the distinction of being the first woman officer to receive a Sena Medal (Gallantry) have been referenced in discussions about women’s contributions to the Indian armed forces. Family members have also publicly referenced her place in the record of gallantry awardees.

Latest updates

Publicly available timelines indicate that in late 2021 a family member highlighted historical record-keeping about who was the first woman officer to receive a Sena Medal for gallantry. Leena’s post-army clinical appointments continued into the mid-2010s, with her most recent listed position being consultant for surgical oncology at the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre from 2016 onward.

Overall legacy

Captain CR Leena’s career spans frontline military medical service during active operations and a long trajectory in civilian surgical oncology. Her gallantry award and subsequent medical practice have marked her as a notable figure among Indian Army medical officers who transitioned to civilian medical leadership roles.
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Recent Work

Consultant, Surgical Oncology

Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre — returned in 2016 to serve as a consultant in surgical oncology.

2016
Consultant

Dharamshila Cancer Center — consultant from 2014 to 2015.

2014-2015
Consultant

Fortis Hospital, New Delhi — consultant from 2008 to 2013.

2008-2013
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Career Highlights

  1. Commissioned into the Army Medical Corps after MBBS; served 1990–1996.
  2. Served as Medical Officer with 3/5 Gorkha Rifles in Anantnag, Kashmir.
  3. Awarded the Sena Medal (Gallantry) in 1995 for lifesaving actions under fire.
  4. Civil surgical oncology career across multiple New Delhi hospitals, including Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute.
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Captain CR Leena known for?

Doctor (retired from the Indian Army)

What is Captain CR Leena’s marital status?

Married

Who is Captain CR Leena married to?

Sanjay Dhadwal