For Me, Earning The Stars Is A Big Thing: Captain Tania Shergill

On the coming 26th of January, Captain Tania Shergill will become the first woman Parade Adjutant for Republic Day. Captain Shergill also led an all men contingent at the Army Day parade 2020 just a few days ago. Having received her training from  Officers Training Academy, Chennai, she was commissioned into the Corps of Signals in 2017. She hails from an army background and is a fourth-generation army officer in her family.

Key Takeaways:

• Tania Shergill, an officer with the Army’s Corps of Signals will be the first woman parade adjutant for the Republic Day Parade.
• An adjutant holds the responsibility of executing the entire parade, and hence, this is an important event for the women in the Armed Forces.
• Having received the training from  Officers Training Academy, Chennai, she was commissioned in the Corps of Signals in 2017. 
• She hails from an army background and is a fourth-generation army officer. 

SheThePeople speaks with Captain Shergill about her journey as a Fauji and why she isn't actually nervous about the role she has to execute this Sunday. Here's what she says:

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Joining Army Is Something I Always Wanted To Do

Shergill reveals that it was her decision to opt for Fauj. "It is something I always wanted to do since I was a little girl. So I always had this in the back of my mind that one day, I also want to wear the uniform. Whenever we used to go to school, I always used to see my father getting ready, wearing his uniform. So, ever since I was a very small child, I used to wear my father's shoes, although they were really big. I used to stomp around the house in them. I used to wear his cap, whatever things I could get out of his uniform, I would wear it. I would stand in front of the mirror and do that small salute," says Captain Shergill.

When it comes to training, it is rigorous, and it is required. To make officers out of normal people, that type of training is required.

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I Got Placed In TCS But I Never Joined

Captain Shergill says that though she was placed in TCS after she graduated, she never really wanted to join it because right from the beginning, she wanted to join the Indian Army. "After I graduated, I got placed in TCS but I never joined the company because I always wanted to join Fauj. I think our generation has this privilege of joining Fauj as a woman officer. So I just went for it," she says.

I Knew That The Training Is Not Easy

" I knew that the training is not very easy. The one year at the academy is something that you remember for the rest of your life. Because your coursemates, the type of bonds you make with them, is inseparable." she adds. About the rigorous she says, "To make officers out of normal people, that type of training is required."

Tania also reveals that her passing out ceremony was quite a sentimental occasion for her father. "My father also passed out from Officers Training Academy, Chennai. So when it came to my passing out from the academy, he was sentimental, as he was seeing it all over again," she says.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to your naam, namak and nishan. If your regiment has chosen you to lead the contingent, it gives you a sense of responsibility.

For Me, Earning The Stars Is A Big Thing

" You know, for me, earning the stars is a big thing. Because since I was passionate about Fauj and I always wanted to wear the uniform myself, 11 March 2017 was a really big day for me." When it comes to being nervous about her role on this Republic Day, she says, "You're never really nervous because you work really hard. People see only one day- Republic Day, Army Day. They don't realize that we have been practicing since months. So when it comes down to D Day, we've already practiced so much, that we, our men, we have that confidence- Ki Haan yaar, Josh type Karna hai."

Do Or Die

For Captain Shergill it is karo ya maro (do or die) once you get down on the ground, "There's a saying called Kar Har Maidan Fateh. So when you get down on the ground, you absolutely have to give your mind to the Parade. And my final thoughts were that this is the last day I'm going to do the Army Day parade. Because obviously, you do it only once. You don't do it every year. So it was like- Last time karna hai, Josh type karna hai!"

Also Read: Tania Shergill Sparks A Conversation On What Real Feminism Is

Naam, Namak, Nishan

While the entire country cannot stop admiring this young woman, Tania has a sense of how big the responsibility that rests on her shoulders is." At the end of the day, it all comes down to your naam, namak and nishan. If your regiment has chosen you to lead the contingent, it gives you a sense of responsibility. You're grateful for the opportunity and you feel when you get down on the ground, you have to give your best. Because your men should trust you, you should trust yourself," she adds.

Video Credit: Poorvi Gupta