They have accomplished the unthinkable and shattered the glass ceiling beyond recognition while answering the country’s call of duty. On International Women’s Day, CNN-News18 interviews five incredible Indians.
Major Abhilasha Barak, Army’s First Woman Combat Aviator
Major Barak, being posted in the most complex region of the world with conflict of decades…what is the experience like?
I have been serving in Kashmir valley since July 2022. Being in an area where there is counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations happening every second, every given moment of the day, it calls for duty 24×7. We have to be at battle 24×7 and we have to get airborne in 5 minutes. So there is no time for preparation. You need to know the Valley like a backyard at the back of your head. So, it is a very active role that we are playing.
Being a ‘combat aviation pilot’…it gives us a sense of your operations. When did you decide to take this journey? You could have chosen the easy route of being a commercial pilot.
Coming from a military background, I always wanted to be in the Indian Army. Initially, I wanted to join the Indian Air Force because I always wanted to fly. I always thought why walk when you can run, and why run when you can fly? So aviation was always a passion. Being in the Indian Army and flying one of the best state-of-the-art equipment, there is nothing more to it.
You said you have to be battle ready in 5 mins. It is a very, very challenging terrain. Would you have wanted to be posted somewhere else or being posted in Kashmir is a matter of great pride for you?
It is such a great pride you know. What real operation means is what you see in J&K. The tough conditions and serving the nation at its frontline…I think I am highly satisfied with the work I am doing there.
How often do you get to meet or speak to your family?
Most of my friends have joined the Indian Army or IAF because we share the same aim and in my family, my father is a retired colonel, my mother is a teacher and I have two brothers. One elder brother is also serving in the Indian Army and my younger brother is in college at Punjab University. Since the conditions are pretty normal in Kashmir valley, we get to speak home every day. There is no connectivity issue or the network is down…We may come home in every 6 months but we speak to them very often.
You come from a military background, and it comes naturally to you, but who is your motivation?
My father was a self-made man, he was my inspiration. My great-grandfather was also in the same line, so it flows in my blood.
These spaces were male-dominated. The Army has now started to open it to women. How do you feel?
Recently they opened up the doors of NDA to women. It’s a historic decision. Society is changing and recognising us.
What is your message to young girls who want to follow in your footsteps?
Follow your passion. It’s not difficult once you know what you want but hard work follows. You have to make choices and grab every opportunity.
Capt Shiva Chouhan, First Woman Officer Deployed in Siachen
Tell us about your own journey in the forces and when you got posted in Siachen.
I got posted here after I came on January 2. Before that, I had to go for training. It was for 28 days and the duration of the posting is 6 months. It is the most memorable journey of my life. I got to learn many more operational aspects.
Tell us more about being deployed there. What is life like in Siachen for women in particular, does it get tough for you or are you one of those who feel that women are very strong mentally, physically, and when they face challenges they only perform better?
We need to be mentally and physically robust in the army to serve in such terrain. We have to face severe conditions.
Were you looking forward to this posting? What does it tell you about women in the Army, in the sense that we are certainly celebrating women who are on the forward posts at the frontline? Does it reflect that now this is a huge transition in the Indian Army and defence forces in general?
It has motivated me and other women as well. Other women are aspiring to join the Indian Army. They must understand the requirement is something else and not like other civil services. It demands a person to move from one place to another.
What about your friends and family when they came to know you were going to be deployed in Siachen? What was their reaction? Tell us about your nature of work in Siachen.
Friends and family are very proud of me for being the first to be deployed…I am an engineering officer. I look after that here in this terrain.
Is it tough stepping out and carrying out your daily routine there?
We are being trained adequately in our academies. They make us effective enough to get deployed in such tough terrains.
You are the only woman posted there. How many men are there? Does being the only woman make it special or does it make it tough and what is your daily routine like?
Regarding my male counterparts, they are all cooperative and welcoming. If I am here, I guess it’s the support of plenty from the Siachen brigade and others…all female counterparts and soldiers are very welcoming
You are at -30 degrees Celsius. That’s going to be extremely tough for you. It requires a degree of acclimatisation as well. Tell us about it. Being the only woman in Siachen, how tough is it for you?
There are a lot of challenges in the terrain. One must be aware of their responsibilities. One should be well-versed.
Major Beena Tiwari, Army Medic, Part of Operation Dost
Major Beena, you became the face of Operation Dost. Tell us what that lady (seen in visuals from Turkey) was telling you.
It was our second day there and they were very thankful for our service and our gestures. She thanked and kissed me and told us to stay with her.
Major Beena, what becomes overwhelming when we look at those pictures was that India stands for countries in general. Rescue and relief after a calamity like an earthquake are extremely tough. It’s extremely distressing when you see hopelessness all around. What were your ten days in Turkey like? When you were told that you were going on a mission of this nature, what did you think?
The initial sight was very disturbing. We put our heart and mind into treating the people. They saw our work and spread the word. There was no stopping the rush of patients after that. We got volunteers also. The response from the patients motivated us. We treated 3,600 patients. Our hospital was open 24×7.
You rightly said it was overwhelming. We were miles away and those photographs were disturbing us. You were in the middle of the tragedy. How many women officers were there in general? We did see that interaction you all had when you came back home and particularly by the PM who said women bring empathy that is needed when you deal with a tragedy of this nature.
In my 99-member medical team, I was the only woman. The NDRF had women working. I was happy to be a part of the team and assist the patients.
Overall when you look at your own journey in the Indian Army, is there satisfaction or is there any glass ceiling you want to break?
I joined the Army because it was my ambition. I grew up with an Army background. My only aim was to join the Army. I am very satisfied here. I don’t see any loopholes. The Army takes care of women officers very well. They see to it that their privacy is not breached.
Capt Deeksha CM, First Woman Officer in Special Forces
You are the first woman officer in the Special Forces. There is always a lot of prestige and responsibility that is attached to being a first. What does being the first woman Special Forces officer actually mean?
It’s a very responsible position. I am very proud to be a part of it. It was an eye-opening experience for me. I come from a civil background. I didn’t have much knowledge about the Indian Army. Deployment made me understand the challenges of a soldier. I did my probation in Agra and got accepted for the SF unit.
Do you think it takes a lot to be a woman and being fearless? I have met a lot of women on INS Hansa and there is a very strong sentiment of serving the nation. Is that what drives you?
My main motivation is that I wanted to do something that would make a difference. I wanted something challenging and unique, wanted to give back to the nation. That is the driving force. It always keeps me going.
At times when you realise that being a woman is really tough in a terrain such as this, being part of an operation of such a nature, do you really want to do this?
As a medical officer, our biggest challenge is not falling sick. Or I shouldn’t be incapable of giving my operational duties. As a medical officer, I should be the first one to get acclimatised to the terrain. I should be operationally active every time because I have to look after my men. Even administratively we should have all the resources available. I would say we have some additional challenges like menstrual cycles and hence we need additional resources.
Major Ruchi Aggrawal, Leader, Female Engagement Team, Congo
It’s a special time when women are working in roles that were not seen as women-friendly, which were largely seen as male bastions for the longest time. How is it working in the infantry that too in a foreign country?
The experience has been exceptional and extraordinary in its own way. I have had exposure. This is the first time I have worked so closely with the infantry. We worked together very well.
You are posted in Democratic Republic of the Congo. What are challenges associated with terrain of that nature?
The terrain has some challenges…It is not like our soil, we are not familiar with the area. There is frequent movement, and the situation is dynamic. We faced the issue of familiarisation with the terrain. Roads are not well developed.
When you got posted in Congo, we have seen in recent times when Indian Army went for Operation Dost in Turkey, there was a lot of respect towards Indians there because India was the first responder. There is a lot of empathy when Indians are on the ground. What is the response you get when you interact with people in Congo?
The people have a lot of respect for us. They look up to us. The faith they have in you fills you with motivation. India has made a mark as a peacekeeper.
What will you be telling those who are watching you, particularly about breaking the glass ceiling in the Indian Army?
The Army is progressing. Every small step is like a milestone. These milestones fill you with pleasure. But there is a lot of hard work that goes down and you have to prove yourself. You cannot lower your standards. We have to prepare ourselves to meet the standards of the Army.
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