Women’s Day: Five Voices from the Front

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 Indian women.

Major Abhilasha Barak, the Army’s first female combat aviator

Major Barak, being stationed in the most complex region in the world with decades of conflict… what is the experience like?

I have been serving in the Kashmir Valley since July 2022. Being in an area where there are counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations every second, every moment of the day, requires 24/7 service. We have to be in battle 24×7 and we have to take off in 5 minutes. So there is no time for preparation. You need to know the Valley like a backyard in the back of your head. So, it is a very active role that we are playing.

Being a ‘fighter jet pilot’… gives us insight into their operations. When did you decide to embark on 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 some of the best state-of-the-art equipment, there is nothing more than that.

You said you had to be ready for battle in 5 minutes. It is very, very challenging terrain. Would you have wanted to be posted elsewhere or is being posted in Kashmir a source of great pride for you?

It’s a great pride, you know? What a real operation means is what you see at J&K. The harsh conditions and serving the nation on the front lines… I think I’m very satisfied with the work I’m doing there.

How often do you meet or talk with your family?

Most of my friends have joined the Indian Army or IAF because we share the same goal and in my family, my father is a retired colonel, my mother is a teacher and I have two brothers. An older brother is also serving in the Indian Army and my younger brother is in college at Punjab University. Since the conditions are quite normal in the Kashmir valley, we can talk at home every day. There is no connectivity problem or the network is not working… We may come home every 6 months, but we talk to them very often.

You come from a military background and it comes naturally to you, but what is your motivation?

My father was a self-made man, he was my inspiration. My great-grandfather was also in the same vein, so he runs in my blood.

These spaces were dominated by men. The army has now started opening it up to women. How do you feel?

They recently opened the NDA doors to women. It is a historic decision. Society is changing and recognizing us.

What is your message to young women who want to follow in your footsteps?

Follow your passion. It’s not hard once you know what you want, but keep up the hard work. You have to make decisions and take advantage of every opportunity.

Captain Shiva Chouhan, first female officer deployed to Siachen

Tell us about your own journey in the forces and when you were sent to Siachen.

They sent me here after I arrived on the 2nd of January. Before that, I had to go to training. It was for 28 days and the duration of the displacement is 6 months. It is the most memorable trip of my life. I have to learn many more operational aspects.

Tell us more about your deployment there. How is life in Siachen for women in particular? Do you find it difficult or do you feel that women are very strong mentally and physically and when faced with challenges they only perform better?

We need to be mentally and physically strong in the military to serve in that field. We have to face severe conditions.

Were you waiting for this post? What does that tell you about women in the Army, in the sense that we’re certainly celebrating the women who are outposts on the front lines? Does it reflect that this is now a big transition in the Indian Army and defense forces in general?

It has motivated me and other women as well. Other women aspire to join the Indian Army. They must understand that the requirement is something else and not like other civil services. It requires a person to move from one place to another.

What happened to your friends and family when they found out you were going to be sent to Siachen? What was your reaction? Tell us about the nature of your work at Siachen.

My friends and family are very proud of me for being the first to be deployed… I am an engineering officer. I take care of that here on this ground.

Is it difficult to go out and do your daily routine there?

We are being properly trained in our academies. They make us effective enough to deploy in such difficult terrain.

You are the only woman published there. How many men are there? Does being the only woman make it special or difficult and what is your daily routine like?

As for my male counterparts, they are all cooperative and welcoming. If I am here, I guess it is the support of many from the Siachen brigade and others… all the female counterparts and the soldiers are very welcoming.

You are at -30 degrees Celsius. That is going to be extremely hard on you. It requires a degree of acclimatization as well. Tell us about it. Being the only woman in Siachen, how difficult is it for you?

There are many challenges on the ground. One must be aware of their responsibilities. One must be well versed.

Major Beena Tiwari, Army medic, part of Operation Dost

Major Beena, became the face of Operation Dost. Tell us what that lady was saying to you (seen in the images from Turkey).

It was our second day there and they were very appreciative of our service and gestures. He thanked me and kissed me and told us to stay with her.

Major Beena, what becomes overwhelming when we look at those photos is that India represents countries in general. Rescue and relief after a calamity like an earthquake is extremely difficult. It is extremely distressing when you see hopelessness everywhere. How were your ten days in Turkey? When they told you that you were going on a mission of these characteristics, what did you think?

The initial sight was very disturbing. We put our hearts and minds into treating people. They saw our work and spread the word. There was no way to stop the flood of patients after that. We also have volunteers. The response of the patients motivated us. We treat 3,600 patients. Our hospital was open 24×7.

You rightly said it was overwhelming. We were miles away and those photographs made us uneasy. You were in the middle of the tragedy. How many female police officers were there overall? We saw that interaction that everyone had when they returned home and particularly from the Prime Minister, who said that women provide the empathy that is needed when faced with a tragedy of this nature.

On my 99-member medical team, I was the only woman. The NDRF had women working. I was happy to be part of the team and help the patients.

In general, when you look at your own journey in the Indian army, is there satisfaction or is there some glass ceiling that you want to break?

I joined the army because it was my ambition. I grew up with a background in the military. My only goal was to join the army. I am very satisfied here. I don’t see gaps. The Army takes very good care of female officers. They make sure that your privacy is not violated.

Captain Deeksha CM, First Female Officer in Special Forces

You are the first female officer in the Special Forces. There is always a lot of prestige and responsibility that is attached to being a first. What does it really mean to be the first female Special Forces officer?

It is a position of great responsibility. I am very proud to be a part of this. It was an eye-opening experience for me. I come from a civilian background. I didn’t have much knowledge about the Indian Army. The deployment made me understand the challenges of a soldier. I did my trial period in Agra and got accepted in SF unit.

Do you think it takes a lot to be a woman and not be afraid? I have met many women at INS Hansa and there is a very strong feeling of serving the nation. Is that what drives you?

My main motivation is that I wanted to do something that would make a difference. He wanted something challenging and unique, he wanted to give back to the nation. That is the driving force. It always keeps me going.

Sometimes when you realize that being a woman is really difficult in terrain like this, being part of an operation of that nature, do you really want to do this?

As a medical officer, our biggest challenge is not to get sick. Or should not be unable to give my operational functions. As a medical officer, you should be the first to acclimatize to the terrain. I should be operationally active all the time because I have to take care of my men. Even administratively we should have all the resources available. I would say that we have some additional challenges like menstrual cycles and therefore we need additional resources.

Major Ruchi Aggrawal, Leader, Women’s Participation Team, Congo

It’s a special time where women are working in roles that were not considered suitable for women, which were largely considered masculine bastions for a long time. What is it like to work in the infantry that also 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’ve worked so closely with the infantry. We work together very well.

He is stationed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. What are the challenges associated with land of this nature?

The terrain has some challenges… It’s not like our soil, we are not familiar with the area. There is frequent movement and the situation is dynamic. We are faced with the issue of familiarization with the terrain. The roads are not well developed.

When you were sent to Congo, we have seen in recent times when the Indian army participated in Operation Dost in Turkey, there was a lot of respect towards the Indians there because India was the first to respond. There is a lot of empathy when the Indians are on the ground. What is the response you get when you interact with people in the Congo?

People have a lot of respect for us. They admire us. The faith they have in you fills you with motivation. India has left a mark as a peacemaker.

What will you tell those who are watching you, particularly about breaking the glass ceiling in the Indian Army?

The Army is progressing. Every little step is like a milestone. These milestones fill you with pleasure. But there is a lot of hard work and you have to prove yourself. You can’t lower your standards. We have to prepare to meet Army standards.

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