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	\| honorific_prefix = [[Wing commander (rank)\|Wing Commander]]		\| honorific_prefix = [[Wing commander (rank)\|Wing Commander]]

Bot at 07:19, 18 August 2022

2022-08-18T07:19:28Z

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{{Short description|Surgeon; Indian Air Force Officer (1924–2020)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Wing commander (rank)|Wing Commander]]
| name = Vijayalakshmi Ramanan
| honorific_suffix =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| image =
| image_upright =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1924|02|27|df=yes}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age |2020|10|18|1924|02|27|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Madras]], [[British Raj|British India]]
| death_place = [[Bangalore]], [[Karnataka]], India
| nickname =
| birth_name =
| allegiance = {{flag|India|23px}}
| branch = {{air force|India|23px}}
| serviceyears = 1955 to 1979
| rank = [[File:Wing Commander of IAF.png|32px]] [[Wing commander (rank)|Wing commander]]
| servicenumber = 4971 MED (MR-3056)
| unit =
| commands =
| battles =
| battles_label =
| awards = [[Vishisht Seva Medal]]
| spouse = K. V. Ramanan
| relations =
| laterwork =
| signature =
| website = 
| memorials =
| signature_size =
| signature_alt =
| module =
| other_name =
| serviceyears_label =
| rank_label =
}}
'''Vijayalakshmi Ramanan''' [[Vishisht Seva Medal|VSM]] (27 February 1924{{spnd}}18 October 2020) was an Indian [[physician]] and career [[army officer]]. She was the first woman to be commissioned as an [[Indian Air Force]] officer, and served as a surgeon in several military hospitals in India. She was a recipient of the army's [[Vishisht Seva Medal]] in 1977 and retired as a [[Wing commander (rank)|wing commander]] in 1979.<ref name=":3"/><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=21 October 2020|title=IAF's first woman officer dies at 96|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/iafs-first-woman-commissioned-officer-dies-at-96-6821413/|access-date=21 October 2020|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Ramanan was born on 27 February 1924 in Madras (now [[Chennai]]).<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Swamy|first=Rohini|date=21 October 2020|title=Vijayalakshmi Ramanan, first woman IAF officer & a doctor always 'prepared for an emergency'|url=https://theprint.in/india/vijayalakshmi-ramanan-first-woman-iaf-officer-a-doctor-always-prepared-for-an-emergency/528056/|access-date=22 October 2020|website=ThePrint|language=en-US}}</ref> Her father T.D. Narayana Iyer was a [[World War I]] veteran and later a public health official in [[Madras]].<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /> She trained as a doctor, earning her [[Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery|M.B.B.S]] degree after joining the [[Madras Medical College]] in 1943. As a student, she was a recipient of the Balfour Memorial Medal for Medicine and Prize for Surgery from the [[Madras University]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last1=Ch|first1=Shikha|last2=ra|date=21 October 2020|title=Vijayalakshmi Ramanan, The First Woman Officer Of Indian Air Force Dies At 96|url=https://www.shethepeople.tv/news/vijayalakshmi-ramanan-first-woman-officer-indian-air-force-dies-at-96/|access-date=21 October 2020|website=SheThePeople TV|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> She went on to earn an [[Doctor of Medicine|M.D.]] in [[Obstetrics and gynaecology|obstetrics and gynecology]] and worked as a surgeon in [[Chennai|Madras]] before joining the Indian military.<ref name=":1" />

== Career ==
Ramanan joined the [[Indian Army Medical Corps]] in 1955 under a [[short-service commission]]. She went on to be seconded to the Indian Air Force, and was commissioned as its first female officer in 1971.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|date=21 October 2020|title=Pioneering first woman IAF officer passes away in Bengaluru|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/pioneering-first-woman-iaf-officer-passes-away-in-bengaluru-905014.html|access-date=22 October 2020|website=Deccan Herald|language=en}}</ref> In addition to working as a [[gynecologist]] in military hospitals in India, she also provided medical care to service members during wars in 1962, 1966 and 1971.<ref name=":0" />

In 1968, she became the Senior Gynecologist and Obstetrician at the Air Force Hospital in [[Bangalore]], [[Karnataka]], and led military efforts to encourage [[family planning]] in the services. Ramanan became a [[flight lieutenant]] on 20 March 1953, and a [[Wing commander (rank)|wing commander]] on 22 August 1972.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Service Record for Wing Commander Vijayalakshmi Thirupunathura Narayana Iyer 4971 MED at Bharat Rakshak.com|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/4971|access-date=21 October 2020|website=Bharat Rakshak|language=en-gb}}</ref> She served in armed forces hospitals in Jalahalli, Kanpur, Secunderabad and Bangalore. She also taught [[Obstetrics and gynaecology|obstetrics and gynecology]] for nurse officers during this time.<ref name=":2" />

Ramanan retired as a wing commander in 1979. She was the recipient of the [[Vishisht Seva Medal|Vishist Seva Medal]], which is awarded to members of the Indian armed forces for "distinguished service of a high order" and was given to her on 26 January 1977 by the then Indian President [[Neelam Sanjiva Reddy]] for her treatment of women and children affiliated with the Indian armed forces. Ramanan was the first female officer to be commissioned in the Indian Air Force.<ref name=":0" /> She served in the Indian Air Force for 24 years prior to her retirement.<ref name=":2" />

Speaking about her experiences as the first woman officer in the Indian Air Force, Ramanan had said, "For quite some years, I was the only lady officer in the air force. Initially, I was scared to work with men, but I was brave and thought to myself, I could face anything."<ref name=":3" /> With the Indian Air Force not having uniforms for women at the time of her joining, she is said to have custom tailored a ''[[sari]]'' and blouse with the air force colours that then became the standard issue for women officers.<ref name=":2" />

== Personal life ==
Ramanan was also trained as a classical [[Carnatic music|Carnatic]] musician and was an "A Grade" artist with [[All India Radio]] from age 15, broadcasting from [[Delhi]], [[Lucknow]], [[Secunderabad]] and [[Bangalore]].<ref name=":2" /> She is survived by her two children Sukanya and Sukumar. Her husband, K. V. Ramanan, was also an Air Force officer.<ref name=":0" />

She died of old age, at 96, at her daughter's home in [[Bangalore]] on 18 October 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Service|first=Tribune News|title=Indian Air Force's first woman commissioned officer Vijayalakshmi Ramanan passes away at 96|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/indian-airforces-first-woman-commissioned-officer-dr-vijayalakshmi-ramanan-passes-away-at-96-159033|access-date=21 October 2020|website=Tribuneindia News Service|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/4971 Wing Commander Dr. Vijaylakshmi Ramanan: Service Record]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ramanan, Vijayalakshmi}}
[[Category:Indian Air Force officers]]
[[Category:Indian female military personnel]]
[[Category:Indian Air Force personnel]]
[[Category:1924 births]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:Women air force personnel]]
[[Category:Indian Medical Service officers]]
[[Category:Madras Medical College alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian people]]

Vijayalakshmi Ramanan - Revision history

Bot at 07:19, 18 August 2022

Bot at 07:19, 18 August 2022