A day before International Women’s Day, we have another reason to celebrate. It is reported that women will now be eligible for permanent careers in all 10 of the branches of the army where they have been inducted as short-service commissioned (SSC) officers. The defence ministry made this announcement on Tuesday. Earlier, women were only allowed permanent commission (PC) in two branches, Judge Advocate General (JAG) and Army Education Corps.
Image Source: India Today
The eight other branches now opened to SSC women for PC are Corps of Signals, Engineers, Army Aviation, Army Air Defence, Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, Army Service Corps, Army Ordinance Corps, and the Intelligence Corps.
In a statement clarifying the same, the ministry spokesperson said, “SSC women officers will give their option for permanent commission before completion of four years of commissioned service. They will be considered for grant of permanent commission based on suitability, merit etc and will be employed in various staff appointments.”
Defence Ministry: Women officers will be granted Permanent Commission in the Indian Army in all the ten branches where women are inducted for Short Service Commission.
— ANI (@ANI) 5 March 2019
The government has taken a big step forward in inducting women in the armed forces. This started when the combat ban was lifted in 2015 and women were allowed in the Indian Air Force’s fighter stream.
So, to celebrate International Women’s Day 2019, we have compiled a list of women who have made a huge difference in the Indian armed forces and smashed stereotypes.
Lieutenant Bhavana Kasturi
Image Source: Hindustan Times
The 70th Republic Day was an amazing display of ‘Nari Shakti’ as Lt Bhavna Kasturi led an all-men army contingent. She said, “Being a contingent commander was a huge honour. The moment when I saluted President was the most memorable moment of my life. Girls have got so much potential, nothing is impossible for us.”
Flight Lieutenant Avani Chaturvedi
Image Source: Medium.com
Flight Lt Avani Chaturvedi is one of the first female fighter pilots in India. She, Mohana Singh and Bhawana Kanth were the first combat pilots who were inducted into the Indian Air Force together in 2016. She also became the first Indian woman pilot to take a solo flight in a MiG-21 in 2018.
Lieutenant Priya Semwal
Image Source: Sonus Mac
Another lady etched in Indian armed forces history is Priya Semwal, who was the first Army jawan’s wife to join as an officer in the forces. She lost her husband in a counter-insurgency operation at the age of 26. Hating the pity she was given as a widow, she worked hard to join the army in memory of her husband and carry forward his love for the country.
Lieutenant General Punita Arora
Image Source: Twitter
Moving to India after partition, Punita Arora joined AFMC and got recruited in the army. She has been awarded 15 medals in her 36 years of service. She made a breakthrough in her career and became the first woman in India to don the second-highest rank, Lieutenant General of Indian Armed Forces, as well as the rank of Vice-Admiral of Indian Navy.
Padmavathy Bandopadhyay
Image Source: NDA Mates
Padmavathy Bandopadhyay became the first woman Air Marshal of the Indian Air Force and is the second woman in the forces to be promoted to a three-star rank. She joined the IAF in 1968 and was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for her bravery during the Indo-Pak war in 1971. She has also been a member of the Indian Society of Aerospace Medicines, International Medical Society and New York of Sciences as well as a member of a research expedition to the Arctic.
What an inspiring army of women we have in India!
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