Capt. Pratima Dharm is a U.S. Army chaplain who became the first Hindu chaplain to serve in the U.S. military. Commissioned in 2011, she provided spiritual care and pastoral support to soldiers of all faiths, including during a deployment to Iraq. Her appointment expanded the religious diversity of the Armed Forces and ensured formal Hindu religious representation within the military chaplaincy. Dharm’s service marked an important milestone in recognizing the evolving faith traditions of the American armed forces.
