Women in the Indian Armed Forces: Difference between revisions

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}

{{Use Indian English|date=January 2020}}

All wings of the [[Indian Armed Forces]] don't allow women in combat roles; women are only allowed in combat support services and supervisory roles (as officers). [[Indian Air Force]] had 13.09% and 8.50%, [[Indian Navy]] 6% and 3% women, and [[Indian Army]] 3.80% and 3% in December 2018 and December 2014 respectively.<ref>{{cite web|title=Indian Army's shameful treatment of women recruits|url=http://www.ndtv.com/opinion/indian-armys-shameful-treatment-of-women-recruits-706717|website=NDTV}}</ref><ref>[https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/women-to-comprise-20-of-military-police-after-graded-induction-nirmala-sitharaman/715756.html Women to comprise 20% of Military Police], The Tribune, 18 Jan 2019.</ref>

In 1888, the role of women in the Indian army began when the "Indian Military Nursing Service" was formed during the [[British Rule]].<ref name=women1/> During 1914–45, British Indian Army nurses fought in [[World War I]] (1914–18) and [[World War II]] (1939-45), where 350 British Indian Army nurses either died or were taken prisoner of war or declared missing in action.<ref name=women1/> This includes nurses who died when SS Kuala was sunk by the [[List of aircraft of Japan during World War II|Japanese bombers]] in 1942.<ref name=women1>[http://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/indian-army-must-stop-its-discrimination-against-military-nurses/story-VmhPT6cKj3GW3M3KjCterK.html Indian Army must stop its discrimination against military nurses], [[Hindustan Times]], 13 December 2017.</ref> [[Women's Auxiliary Corps (India)]] was formed in May 1942.<ref name=kal1>{{cite book|last=Perry|first=Frederick William|year=1988|title=The Commonwealth armies: manpower and organisation in two world wars (p.1114)|publisher=Manchester University Press ND|isbn=0-7190-2595-8}}</ref> [[Noor Inayat Khan]], [[George Cross]] (2 January 1914 – 13 September 1944), of Indian and American descent, was a British heroine of [[World War II]] renowned for her service in the [[Special Operations Executive]].<ref name="InayatKhan">"[https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/the-womens-blog-with-jane-martinson/2012/oct/23/noor-inayat-khan-britains-muslim-heroine Noor Inayat Khan: remembering Britain's Muslim war heroine]," 23 October 2012.</ref> Kalyani Sen, a second officer and first Indian service woman who visited the UK, served in the Women's Royal Indian Naval Service of The Royal Indian Navy during World War II.<ref name=kal2>[https://www.thebetterindia.com/39694/heroes-indian-navy/ 10 Daredevil Heroes of the Indian Navy You Should Know About], 4 Dec 2016.</ref> There was a woman's regiment under [[Subhas Chandra Bose|Netaji]] Subhash Chandra Bose 's [[Indian National Army]] called the [[Rani of Jhansi Regiment]] was one of that kind during World War II.

Under the Army Act of 1950, women were ineligible for regular commissions except in "such corps, departments or branches which the central government may specify by way of notifications."<ref name=WIndA2/> On 1 November 1958, the Army Medical Corps became the first unit of the Indian Army to grant regular commissions to women.<ref name="permanent">{{cite web|title=Permanent Commissions for Women Doctors in the Army|url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1958-JULY-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1958-10-29_165.pdf|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive|date=29 October 1958|access-date=31 December 2020}}</ref> Since 1992, women were first inducted in to various branches of Indian Army only in short service commission.<ref name=WIndA2/> In 2008, women were first inducted as permanent commissioned officers in Legal and Education corps, in 2020 they were first inducted in 8 more corps as permanent commissioned officers.<ref name=allow1>[https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/women-officers-in-combat-and-command-roles-ht-explainer/story-3xloWIhE5E98WikO5vij4H.html WOmen officers in combat and command role], Hindustan Times, Feb 2020.</ref> As of 2020, women are not yet allowed as combatant in the Parachute Regiment of Indian Army or other specialist forces, but they can join [[Para (Special Forces)|paratroopers]] wings of their respective arms like para [[Indian Army Corps of EME|EME]], para [[Indian Army Corps of Signals|signals]], para [[Indian Army Service Corps|ASC]], etc.

| [[Indian Army Dental Corps|Army Dental Corps]] <!-- Retain redlink as per wikipedia guidelines, draft article already exists. -->

| [[File:Yes check.svg|15px|Yes]]

| 1992<ref name=WIndA2/>  

| Women can serve only in non-combat staff appointments of artillery regiments; Women can't get regular and permanent commission in artillery units.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2020/sep/03/sc-refuses-to-entertain-plea-for-permanent-commission-of-women-army-officers-after-cut-off-date-2191970.html|title=SC refuses to entertain plea for Permanent Commission of women Army officers after cut-off date|website=[[The New Indian Express]]|date=3 September 2020}}</ref>

[[File:Indian army lady officer.jpg|thumb|A female officer in the [[Indian Army]] briefing Russian soldiers during a joint exercise in 2015.]]

On 27 August 1976, Gertrude Alice Ram, the military nursing service Matron-in-Chief, became the first woman officer in the Indian Army to attain the rank of major-general, and the first female officer in the Indian Armed Forces to attain [[two-star rank]]. With Ram's promotion, India became only the third nation in the world to promote a woman to flag rank, behind the United States and France.<ref>{{cite web|title=India's First Woman General|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1976-JAN-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1976-08-30_194.pdf|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive|date=30 August 1976|access-date=3 April 2020}}</ref>

In 1992, the [[Indian Army]] began inducting women officers in non-medical roles.<ref>[http://joinindianarmy.nic.in/bravo/entry-schemes-women.htm Women officers entry]</ref> On 19 January 2007, the United Nations first all female peacekeeping force made up of 105 Indian policewomen was deployed to [[Liberia]].<ref>{{cite news|title=First All-Female U.N. Peacekeeping Force to Deploy to Liberia|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,244862,00.html | work=Fox News Channel|date=19 January 2007|access-date=28 January 2008}}</ref> [[Ruchi Sharma]] became the first operational paratrooper in the Indian Army, joining in 1996.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|last=Mukherjee|first=Oindrila|date=2018-03-01|title=First jump is like first love, exciting and exhilarating: Capt (Retd) Sharma|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/first-jump-is-like-first-love-exciting-and-exhilarating-capt-sharma-5082382/|access-date=2020-08-07|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>

[[Priya Jhingan]], commissioned in 1993, is one of the first 25 women to join the Indian Army as an officer. Alka Khurana, also commissioned in 1993, is the first woman from Indian Army to participate in Republic Day Parade and Army Day Parade in 1994.<ref name=IN>{{cite web | url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/army-s-first-woman-officer-comes-to-its-defence/6959/1 | title=Priya Jhingan army's first woman officer | publisher=archive.indianexpress.com | access-date=2017-07-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/story/first-indian-women/1/448279.html|title=List of 'First' Indian women in Indian history|website=India Today|access-date=2017-07-17}}</ref><ref name=book>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C6wsDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA24 | title=Role of Women in India | publisher=REDSHINE | author=Dr. Saroj Kumar Singh | year=2017 | isbn=978-93-86483-09-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://zeenews.india.com/IndiaFirst/Women-p2.html# | title=First Women | publisher=zeenews.india.com | access-date=2017-07-20}}</ref><ref name="Kt">{{cite web | url=http://www.timeskuwait.com/Times_Indian-women-Making-India-proud | title=Indian women Making India proud | publisher=timeskuwait.com | access-date=2017-07-17}}</ref> [[Sapper]] [[Shanti Tigga]] is the first female [[Sepoy|jawan]] (private rank) in the Indian Army who joined in 2011.<ref name=hero1/> Priya Semwal's husband had fallen in a counter-insurgency operation in Arunachal Pradesh in 2012; she went onto join as an officer in the [[Indian Army Corps of EME]], the first wife of a jawan whose husband had fallen in a counter-insurgency operation to do so.<ref name=hero1/>

Anjana Bhaduria, who joined the first-ever batch of female cadets in 1992 at the [[Officers Training Academy]], Chennai, is the first female officer in the Indian Army to win the gold medal. Including Priya Jhingan and her, the first batch of women officers of the Indian Army was commissioned in March 1993.<ref>https://www.thebetterindia.com/83280/brave-women-soldiers-indian-armed-forces//ref></ref><ref name=hero1/> [[Divya Ajith Kumar]], commissioned in 2010, is the first female officer to receive the Sword of Honor.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chennai-cadet-creates-history-at-ota-passingout-parade/article697372.ece | title=Chennai cadet creates history at OTA passing-out parade | newspaper=The Hindu | date=19 September 2010 | access-date=9 July 2015}}</ref><ref name="firstpost_2064151">{{cite magazine | url=http://www.firstpost.com/india/25-year-old-captain-divya-ajith-leads-first-all-women-contingent-in-republic-day-parade-2064151.html | title=25-year-old Captain Divya Ajith leads first all-women contingent in Republic Day parade | magazine=First Post | date=26 January 2015 | access-date=9 July 2015}}</ref> She led all women contingent of 154 women officers and cadets during the [[Delhi Republic Day parade|Republic Day parade]] of 2015.<ref name="firstpost_2064151"/>

In August 1966, Flight Lieutenant Kanta Handa, an IAF medical officer, became the first female IAF officer to receive a commendation for her service during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war.<ref>{{cite web|title=Air Force Lady Doctor Commended|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1966-JULY-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENC/PDF/DEF-1966-08-06_042.pdf|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive|date=6 August 1966|access-date=3 April 2020}}</ref> In 1994, women joined the air force as pilots in support role; [[Gunjan Saxena]] and Sreevidya Rajan<ref>{{cite web|title=From Palakkad to Kargil: IAF officer Sreevidya Rajan intv on 'Gunjan Saxena' film|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/palakkad-kargil-iaf-officer-sreevidya-rajan-intv-gunjan-saxena-130959|website=The News Minute|date=18 August 2020|access-date=18 August 2020}}</ref> were among the first women to fly in a combat zone during [[Kargil War]] (May–July 1999).<ref name=hero1/>

In 2006, Deepika Misra was the first IAF woman pilot to train for the [[Sarang display team]].<ref name=hero1/> In 2012, Nivedita Choudhary (Flight Lieutenant), a [[Jat people|Jat]] from Rajasthan, became the first woman from the Indian Air Force to summit the [[Mount Everest]].<ref name="hero1">Sanchari Pal (24 Jan 2017) [https://www.thebetterindia.com/83280/brave-women-soldiers-indian-armed-forces/ ''Brave Indian female soldiers'']. [[The Better India]].</ref>

In October 1976, Dr. Barbara Ghosh became the first woman officer in the Indian Navy to attain the rank of commander. Having joined the navy in 1961, she was also the first woman medical officer to receive a permanent naval commission.<ref>{{cite web|title=Indian Navy's First Lady Commander|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1976-JAN-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1976-10-23_242.pdf|website=Press Information Bureau of India - Archive|date=22 October 1976|access-date=3 April 2020}}</ref>

Dr. [[Punita Arora]], commissioned in 1968, is the first woman in the Indian Army to reach the second highest rank, [[Lieutenant General]],<ref name=WisdenICoC>{{cite news | url=http://specials.rediff.com/news/2004/sep/16army1.htm | title=The General in Sari | publisher=Rediff}}</ref> and the first female [[Vice Admiral]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Navy-to-get-first-lady-Vice-Admiral/articleshow/1132784.cms | title=Navy gets its 1st lady vice-admiral | work=The Times Of India | date=16 June 2005}}</ref> [[Padmavathy Bandopadhyay]] is the first woman [[Air Marshal]] of the [[Indian Air Force|IAF]] and the second woman in the Indian armed forces to be promoted to a [[three-star rank]] after Lt. General Punita Arora.<ref name=hero1/> Nonetheless, the [[Indian Navy]] still opposes the idea of putting women in [[warship]]s as [[sailor]]s, even though they fly on [[maritime patrol]] [[aircraft]] like [[Boeing P-8 Poseidon|P8I]] and [[Ilyushin Il-38|IL 38]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Army opens 'risky' roles for women but Indian Navy won't have women sailors anytime . Indian Navy dismissed an transgender soon after surgery|url=https://theprint.in/defence/army-opens-risky-roles-for-women-but-indian-navy-wont-have-women-sailors-anytime-soon/228076/}}</ref>

On 2 December 2019, Sub-lieutenant Shubhangi Swaroop became the first woman [[Aircraft pilot|pilot]] for the Indian Navy. She will be flying the [[Dornier 228|Dornier 228 surveillance aircraft]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Sub-lieutenant Shivangi becomes first woman pilot for Indian Navy |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/sub-lieutenant-shivangi-first-woman-pilot-indian-navy-1624385-2019-12-02 |access-date=3 December 2019 |agency=ANI |publisher=India Today |date=2 December 2019}}</ref>

Dr. [[Seema Rao]], also known as "India's Wonder Woman",<ref name="India's Wonder Woman">{{cite news|url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/sunday-chronicle/headliners/250617/indias-wonder-woman.html|title=India's wonder woman | access-date=2017-06-25|newspaper=Deccan Chronicle}}</ref><ref name="India's Wonder Woman!">{{cite news|url=http://www.asianage.com/age-on-sunday/250617/indias-wonder-woman.html |title=India's Wonder Woman | access-date=2017-06-25|newspaper=The Asian Age}}</ref><ref name="India's Wonder Woman Seema Rao">{{cite web|url=https://www.beingindian.com/news/seema-rao-is-a-wonder-woman|title=India's Wonder Woman Seema Rao: The only Female Combat Trainer in the Country | access-date=2017-06-26|publisher=Being Indian}}</ref> is India's first woman commando trainer,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.naaree.com/naaree-interviews-dr-seema-rao-commando-trainer/|title=Interview with Dr. Seema Rao | access-date=2015-08-11|publisher=naaree.com}}</ref> having trained over 15,000 [[Special Forces of India]]<ref name="India's only female commando trainer">{{cite web|url=http://www.storypick.com/dr-seema-rao/ |title=India's only female commando trainer | access-date=2016-07-11|publisher=storypick}}</ref><ref name="COMBAT SPECIALIST SEEMA RAO" >{{cite web|url=http://www.vervemagazine.in/people/seema-rao-commando-trainer-and-close-quarter-battle-specialist |title=COMBAT SPECIALIST SEEMA RAO  | access-date=2016-12-12|publisher=Verve Magazine}}</ref> (including the NSG, MARCOS, GARUD)<ref name=gar1>[https://www.thebetterindia.com/61848/seema-rao-india-commando-special-forces/ This Amazing Woman Has Been Training India’s Special Forces for 20 Years without Compensation!], 19 July 2016.</ref> as full-time guest trainer for 20 years without compensation<ref name=gar1/><ref name="DNA Article on Seema Rao!">{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report-shy-another-day-india-s-1st-woman-commando-trainer-s-job-pushes-her-into-a-male-dominated-space-2282264 |title=Shy Another Day | access-date=2017-06-25|publisher=DNA}}</ref> as a pioneer in [[Close combat|close quarter battle]] (CQB).<ref name="Seema Rao - CQB Specialist">{{cite web|url=http://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/news/india/womens-day-special-meet-dr-seema-rao-indias-first-woman-commando-trainer/articleshow/57532488.cms |title=Dr Seema Rao Commando Trainer | access-date=2017-06-25|publisher=indiatimes.com}}</ref><ref name="Seema Rao - Forces Trainer">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.com/hindi/india-38725388 |title= Training the Indian Forces | access-date=2017-06-25|publisher=BBC}}</ref>

Five women have been promoted to [[three-star rank]] in the [[Indian Armed Forces]]. All of them are from the Medical Corps and graduate medical doctors of the [[Armed Forces Medical College (India)|Armed Forces Medical College]] (AFMC).

| 1 || [[Lieutenant General (India)|Lieutenant General]] [[Punita Arora]] {{small|{{post-nominals|country=IND|sep=,|PVSM|SM|VSM|}}}}||{{army|India}}||2004||First woman to be elevated to three-star rank. Later moved to the [[Indian Navy]] and held the rank of [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=DPR |first1=ADG (M&C) |title=Women of HonourSalute to Dr Punita Arora, first woman officer from Navy, to be promoted to a three-star rank, second highest rank in Armed forces. She was the first-ever woman Vice Admiral. #WomensDay #IWD2020 #EachforEqual #SheInspiresUspic.twitter.com/t0jOweHpRf |url=https://twitter.com/SpokespersonMoD/status/1236246780511023104 |website=@SpokespersonMoD |language=en |date=7 March 2020}}</ref>

| 2 || [[Air marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] [[Padma Bandopadhyay]] {{small|{{post-nominals|country=IND|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM|VSM|}}}}||{{air force|India}}||2004||First woman to be promoted to three-star rank in the [[Indian Air Force]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Force |first1=Indian Air |title=#Congratulations to Air Marshal Padmavathy Bandopadhyay, PVSM AVSM VSM (Retd),first woman Air Marshal of IAF, on receiving #PadmaShri in the field of Medicine. Padma Shri is awarded for distinguished service in any field & announced on the occasion of #RepublicDay every year.pic.twitter.com/4zmILyKU8R |url=https://twitter.com/IAF_MCC/status/1221805510946709505 |website=@IAF_MCC |language=en |date=27 January 2020}}</ref>

| 3 || [[Lieutenant General (India)|Lieutenant General]] [[Madhuri Kanitkar]] {{small|{{post-nominals|country=IND|sep=,|PVSM|AVSM|VSM|}}}}||{{army|India}}||29 February 2020|| Served as Deputy Chief of the [[Integrated Defence Staff]] (Medical) (DCIDS (Med)).<ref>{{cite web |last1=ARMY |first1=ADG PI-INDIAN |title=Lt Gen Madhuri Kanitkar is the third woman officer of #IndianArmedForces to assume the coveted rank of Lt Gen. Her #Husband is Lt Gen Rajeev Kanitkar (Retd). #Proud Couple is part of the Defence Fraternity. #IndianArmy#NationFirstpic.twitter.com/9eRIfZQg1i |url=https://twitter.com/adgpi/status/1234814380417654785 |website=@adgpi |language=en |date=3 March 2020}}</ref>

| 5 || [[Lieutenant General (India)|Lieutenant General]] [[Rajshree Ramasethu]]||{{army|India}}|| 16 September 2021|| Current Commandant of Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC).<ref>{{cite web |title=Lt General Rajshree Ramasethu takes over as Commandant of AFMC Pune |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/pune/lt-general-rajshree-ramasethu-takes-over-as-commandant-of-afmc-pune-7514127/ |website=The Indian Express |language=en |date=17 September 2021}}</ref>

* ''[[Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl]]'' (2020–21), [[biographical film]] starring [[Janhvi Kapoor]] as real life Indian Air Force pilot [[Gunjan Saxena]] who was the first Indian female airforce pilot in combat.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/angad-bedi-joins-star-cast-gunjan-saxenas-biopic-kargil-girl/|title=Angad Bedi joins the star cast of Gunjan Saxena's biopic, Kargil Girl|publisher=[[Bollywood Hungama]]|date=25 February 2019|access-date=27 April 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/janhvi-kapoor-shooting-in-lucknow/articleshow/68095836.cms|title=Janhvi Kapoor shooting in Lucknow|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=22 February 2019|access-date=27 April 2019}}</ref>