First Batch Of Female Officers Commissioned In Indian Army's Regiment Of Artillery

The Indian Army is introducing reforms in the field in order to provide more opportunities to female officers. Earlier this year, the government approved the Army's proposal to let women officers be a part of the Regiment of Artillery, the fighting arm of the Indian Army and an important part of its various ground operations. Recently, the first batch of female officers of the Regiment of Artillery was announced.

When General Manoj Pande, Chief of the Army Staff, announced the inclusion of women officers in the Regiment of Artillery, it came as a milestone as it recognised the valour of the female officers.

On April 29 at Chennai's Officers Training Academy, the first batch of five female officers to be commissioned to the Regiment of Artillery took their oath. At the end of the passing out parade, the five women officers took their oath, received their rank insignia and became a part of the regiment in the presence of senior Army officers like the Director General of Artillery and Colonel Commandant, Lt Gen Adosh Kumar.

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Women Officers In Artillery Regiment

The first female squad of the Regiment of Artillery includes Lt Aditi Yadav and Lt Sakshi Dubey who were commissioned into the Fields Regiment, Lt Akanksha who became a part of the Rocket Regiment, Lt Pious Mudgil who went to Medium Regiment and Lt Mehak Saini who got Surveillance And Target Acquisition (SATA) Regiment.

Three of these women officers got posted to units that are deployed along the Northern borders while the other two were in the Western Theatre's challenging locations. The proud parents of these women officers were present during the parade.

Along with these five female officers, 19 male officers were also commissioned to the artillery and all of them will receive the same challenges, opportunities and training irrespective of their gender.

The Army will be appointing the second batch of five more female officers to the artillery at the end of the year. Female army officers have had a glorious history and restricting them from joining certain regiments was only restricting their potential. It will be great to see these officers as a part of the Indian Army's major combat arm.