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India's Army, Navy and Air Force have been predominantly male for years. Here, the role of women remained very limited for a long time, but in the last few decades, many women officers broke the traditional notions and not only took command at high positions, but also proved their leadership ability in difficult areas.

On the occasion of International Women's Day, let us know about 8 selected women who reached high positions for the first time. Made history. Took important responsibilities and paved the way for future generations. Today, not only are the security forces proud of all these daughters of the country, but they have become the pride of the country and are like shining stars in the sky.

First woman lieutenant general and first woman vice admiral

Surgeon Vice Admiral and Lieutenant General Punita Arora is a pioneer woman to reach the highest level in the Army and Navy. He received the rank of Lieutenant General while serving in the Army Medical Corps of the Indian Army. She was also the Commandant of Armed Forces Medical College, Pune.

Surgeon Vice Admiral and Lieutenant General Punita Arora.

She was promoted to Lieutenant General around 1 September 2004, making her the first woman Lieutenant General of the Indian Army. She later rose to the rank of Surgeon Vice Admiral in the Medical Wing of the Indian Navy and became the Director General Medical Services in the Navy. In this way, she also became the first woman Vice Admiral of the Indian Navy. Her role was not limited to hospitals only, but she was also supremely responsible for the medical preparedness of units deployed in operational deployments, maritime operations and forward areas.

Achievements: The first woman Lieutenant General of the Indian Army and the first woman Vice Admiral of the Indian Navy. Assumed supreme responsibility for the strategic and field preparedness of medical services in both the Army and Navy.

2- Matron in Chief of Military Nursing Service

Major General Gertrude Alice Ram was the first woman officer to reach the rank of Major General in the Indian Army. She was the Matron-in-Chief of the Military Nursing Service and attained the rank of Major General on 27 August 1976. This was an unprecedented achievement at that time in the history of not only the Indian Army, but the entire Indian Armed Forces, as she became India's first woman flag rank officer. Under her leadership, the Military Nursing Service played an important role in field hospitals, front lines and peacekeeping operations. He made an important contribution in modernizing the medical services of soldiers deployed in difficult conditions. Training nursing staff, improving management and maintaining discipline in war and disaster situations, all these tasks he did with a high level of efficiency. He received many army honors.

Achievements: The first woman Major General of the Indian Army and the first two-star woman officer of the Indian Armed Forces. Played a leading role in modernizing the Military Nursing Service in field and war situations.

3- First woman colonel to command advance field workshop

Colonel Geeta Rana, an officer of the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, created history by taking command of an Independent Field Workshop near the China border in the Eastern Ladakh sector. According to reports around March 2023, she became the first woman colonel to receive command in such an advanced, inaccessible and sensitive location.

The work of a field workshop is not limited to mere repair or technical maintenance, it is a center of operational readiness, where tanks, armored vehicles, cannons and other important military equipment have to be kept combat ready at all times. Amidst factors like altitude, weather and border tension, such a posting is a serious test of any officer's leadership abilities and mental strength, which Colonel Geeta Rana successfully handled.

Achievements: The first woman colonel to command an independent field workshop near the China border in eastern Ladakh. Successfully performed the responsibility of keeping operational equipment war ready in high altitude and difficult geographical conditions.

4. History created with deployment at sensitive air base

Air Marshal Padmavati Bandopadhyay is the first woman to reach the rank of Air Marshal in the Indian Air Force. She was from the medical branch, but her appointments were not limited to hospitals only. He formulated medical and aero medical policies for sensitive air bases, high altitude areas and units deployed under operational commands. Around 2002, he was promoted to the post of Air Marshal. She was associated with the preparedness of the Air Force during many important operations including the Kargil war and provided practical solutions to the pilots and ground staff dealing with the effects of field conditions such as high altitude, extreme cold, long flights.

Achievements: The first woman officer of the Indian Air Force to reach the rank of Air Marshal. Developed aero medical policies and arrangements for Air Force personnel in high altitude and combat conditions.

5. First woman to receive Gallantry Award for courageous action

Lieutenant Colonel Mithali Madhumita is an officer with signals and intelligence background of the Indian Army. He was awarded the Sena Medal for his courageous actions during the terrorist attack on the Indian Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2010. She is the first woman officer of India to receive this honor for her courageous action.

The deployment in Kabul was a field and high-risk mission in itself. During the attack he displayed extraordinary leadership in rescuing injured officers and staff from the debris, ensuring the safety of sensitive documents and the embassy. She has also been on operational posting in terrorism affected areas of Jammu and Kashmir and North East, where working in the field is challenging at every level.

Lieutenant Colonel Mithali Madhumita.

Achievements: India's first woman military officer to receive the Sena Medal for Gallantry. Showed courageous leadership in Kabul terrorist attack and terrorism affected field areas.

6- First pilot of Indian Navy

The names of Sub Lieutenant Shubhangi Swarup and Sub Lieutenant Shivangi stand out among the first women pilots to fly operationally on fixed wing aircraft like Dornier 228 surveillance aircraft in the Indian Navy. Around December 2019, Sub Lieutenant Shivangi was posted to the Eastern Naval Command as an Operational Pilot, which was a historic moment for the Navy. The role of these aircraft is very important in operations like maritime patrolling, coastal surveillance, anti-submarine warfare.

Sub Lieutenant Shivangi and Sub Lieutenant Shubhangi Swarup.

In such missions, pilots not only fly the aircraft but also keep a close eye on border activities, movement of ships and any suspicious activity. All this has to be done amid constantly changing weather, sea conditions and potential enemy activities, making their postings practically considered field level forward deployments.

Achievements: Among the first women pilots of the Indian Navy, she conducted operational flights on surveillance aircraft like Dornier-228. Played a frontline air role in sensitive missions of maritime patrol and coastal security.

7. Created history by flying solo in MiG-21 fighter plane

Flight Lieutenant Avani Chaturvedi is the first woman fighter of the Indian Air Force. He was commissioned in the fighter stream in June 2016. Later he created history by flying solo on MiG-21 fighter plane. This step was not only symbolic, but also practically showed that women were equally capable of performing high-risk, high-speed and combat-oriented field operations. His posting at the fighter base included day and night sorties, air defense missions, practice maneuvers and live weapon firing. In this way they became an essential part of the actual field and operational environment. Avni's achievement inspired many young women to dream of becoming a fighter pilot and make it come true. Avni was also involved in many international campaigns.

Flight Lieutenant Avani Chaturvedi.

Achievements: Avani, one of the first three women fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force, is the first Indian woman to fly solo on a MiG-21. Served alongside male counterparts in high-risk fighter operations and on field bases.

8. First woman commander of an Indian Army contingent in an international military exercise

Colonel Sophia Qureshi is an officer of the Signals Corps of the Indian Army, who created history by commanding the Indian Army contingent in the multinational military exercise named Exercise Force 18. Armies of many countries of the Asia Pacific region were involved in this exercise. And for the first time a woman officer led the Indian contingent. The posting was technically in the context of an international exercise, but it required him to have deep prior field and operational deployment experience.

Colonel Sophia Qureshi.

Maintaining communication networks in border areas, participating in war level exercises and coordinating joint operations with armies of other countries. Her leadership is proof that women are now not limited to just staff or administrative roles, but are also assuming frontline responsibilities in joint exercises. Colonel Sophia recently emerged as a prominent face of the Indian Army during Operation Sindoor.

Achievements: The first woman to command an Indian Army contingent in a multinational military exercise like Exercise Force 18. Established a new benchmark of leadership in joint operations and field coordination while enhancing India's military credibility at the international level.