Government clarifies on women army officers’ promotion

03/11/2011
New Delhi, Nov 2 (IANS) The government Wednesday told the Supreme Court that the army was considering grant of promotion to a section of women officers whose services were restored on the court's direction.

The court was hearing a petition of the defence ministry challenging a Delhi High Court directive to the army and the air force to grant permanent commission to women officers of the short service commission (SSC). The air force complied with the high court ruling.

The apex court bench of Justice R.M. Lodha and Justice H.L. Gokhale, taking note of the government statement, told counsel Meenakshi Lekhi, appearing for the women army officers, to wait for some time till the government's decision.

As Lekhi raised the issue, counsel for the defence ministry R. Balasubramaniam told the court that the representation of the women officers seeking promotion was under the consideration of the army.

The court said if the government did not decide on the women officers' representation within a reasonable time, they could move the court.

Justice Lodha said the matter was being kept pending and if there was any undue delay in the decision making or if the verdict was adverse to the women officers, they could always move the apex court.

The ministry moved the apex court, challenging the initiation of contempt proceedings against the army authorities.

The apex court by its March 4 order stayed the contempt proceedings but not the judgment of the high court, directing the absorption of SSC women officers on a permanent basis.

The women officers, discharged from their service in 2009 when they were due to be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, are now, upon the restoration of their service, working under the officers who were junior to them.

Balasubramaniam told the court that the high court order would be taken advantage of by other retired women officer to seek restoration of their service.

Lekhi countered by asking him to tell the court the number of women officers, other than the petitioner officers, who had sought restoration of their services in the wake of the high court verdict. ©Indo-Asian News Service
Government clarifies on women army officers’ promotion

Indian Army officer's daughter is Nepal's new global hero

22/11/2010
Kathmandu: The daughter of a former Indian Army colonel has become Nepal's new global hero, receiving a prestigious American award for her relentless work to prevent the trafficking of women and children from Nepal and rescuing over 12,000 victims.

Anuradha Koirala, daughter of Col Pratap Singh Gurung of the Indian Army, and former student of St Joseph's Convent in eastern India's hill town of Kalimpong, gave a politically volatile Nepal a worthy cause to rejoice when she was declared the CNN Hero of the year 2010 at a gala in Los Angeles late Saturday. The event was also attended by Hollywood stars Demi Moore, Halle Berry and Jessica Alba.

There were fireworks at Maiti Nepal in celebration, the anti-trafficking NGO founded by the frail, 61-year-old former school teacher on the premises of her own house in 1993 with eight others and that made her win the $100,000 award after eight weeks of online voting.

Koirala, known by her trademark huge dot on the forehead and spartan sari, beat nine other shortlisted nominees, including India's chef with a conscience, Narayanan Krishnan, whose Akshaya Trust has become a byword for feeding the homeless in India's Madurai city.

Maiti Nepal, which means mother's home in Nepali, is the best-known anti-trafficking organisation in Nepal, running transit homes on the India-Nepal border to prevent women and children from being sold to India's brothels, rescuing them by conducting raids with peer groups in India and since 1999, also running a hospice in Jhapa in eastern Nepal for trafficking survivors diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

The victims rescued by Maiti Nepal include girls as young as 14 who were sold into sex slavery in India at the age of nine.

In Kathmandu, Maiti Nepal also runs the Teresa Academy, a 10th-grade school to provide education to the rescued children and children of trafficked women living in its shelter. The rehabilitation work is bolstered by the legal unit of the NGO that seeks legal action against traffickers.

Last week, before the award was announced, Koirala had told a local weekly in Kathmandu that her aim was to see Maiti Nepal close down one day - when trafficking would be eradicated.

According to a report by the US State Department, about 12,000-15,000 women and children are trafficked to India across the porous border every year.

On the day Koirala won her award, Nepal police arrested a woman in the southern Saptari district, Nirmala Bhujel, for trying to sell a 14-year-old girl in India's Mumbai city, under the guise of getting her a well-paid job in Kuwait.

"I never thought I would get this international recognition when I started Maiti Nepal," a tearful Koirala told Nepali daily Republica from New York after being declared the CNN winner.

"Looking back at the struggle during those formative years, I can now say that anything can be achieved with perseverance and hard work."

The award also carries an additional $25,000, which goes out to all the shortlisted 10 nominees. Source: IANS
Indian Army officer's daughter is Nepal's new global hero

Indian Women Atheletes create history

India winning Gold Medal in Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010 - 4 x 400m relay FINAL



AtreyGotram @olebaj
Yes.. very true and sad that not many know the names of the GEMS of India. BTW I found her name: It is Ashwini. Here in Order - Manjeet Kaur, Sini Jose, Ashwini Akkunji and Mandeep Kaur

AtreyGotram RockStarV1
11 hours ago It is awesome....i mean this is hands down awesome ....what can be more awesome...girls you rocked...beat the opponents...keep this coming...

Indian Athletes and Volunteers have saved the Face of India when it almost got lost due to Kalmadi and Sheila Dickshit's corrupt ways...

Cyber Warfare is the New Gen Security Threat: Antony

The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony today asked the top brass of the Armed Forces to work in unison and make cyber systems 'as secure and as non-porous as possible'. Addressing the Army Commanders here, Shri Antony said cyber-warfare is becoming a serious threat to security.

"The paradigms of security in the age of Information Technology are seldom constant. The evolving security matrix is complex and calls for co-operation and coordination of the highest level. Today, no single service can work in isolation. Cyber warfare and threats to cyber security are fast becoming the next generation of threats. We need to make our cyber systems as secure and as non-porous as possible", he said.

Shri Antony made a strong plea for synergy among the three Forces and said the future security matrix calls for a high-degree of cooperation and inter-dependence among the Services. He said the primary area of focus should be to develop as a force capable of operating in joint network – centric environment. Besides these the other emerging areas that warrant synergised development are space, NBC, Cyber Warfare capabilities, Air Defence, Rotary Wing Assistance, precision munitions, standoff targeting and missiles, communication systems, logistics and joint training.

"Though significant progress has been made towards accomplishing jointness in various operational training and administrative facets among the three Services, there are a number of areas congruence that need to be strengthened further", he said.

Referring to the Modernisation Plans of the Armed Forces, the Defence Minister said it is in our long term national interest that we become self reliant in the field of critical defence equipment. He said modernisation plans of the Armed Forces encompass force modernisation and development of critical combat capabilities, not only against potential adversaries, but across the spectrum of conflict. Sitanshu Kar / RAJ
PIB: Cyber Warfare is the New Gen Security Threat: Antony

Army Commanders’ Conference
The Army Commanders’ Conference commenced at Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Army) on 17 May 10. The five days conference, scheduled from 17 May 10 to 21 May 10 is being chaired by Army Chief General VK Singh. The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in his inaugural address emphasised on the necessity for force modernisation to meet emerging threats. He stressed on the requirement of Tri-Services synergy across the spectrum of conflict to meet our National Security needs. The Defence Minister brought out that Cyber Security is the next generation of threat. He stressed the need to make our cyber space fully secure. He said that the Govt was taking all necessary steps to ensure that the Indian Army is kept in a high state of operational preparedness as also ensuring high morale of troops through training and welfare measures.

The Army Chief General VK Singh during his address reviewed the Regional security situation, in which he spoke of the Asymmetric means adopted by non state actors and terrorists to achieve their objectives. He also mentioned the multi spectral threats, which directly affect military doctrines and restructuring.

General Singh stressed on the need to transform the Indian Army so as to customise its operational effectiveness. Talking about training, the Army Chief emphasised on realistic, imaginative and practical training. Referring to Low Intensity Conflict he stressed on “zero tolerance” to Human Rights violations.

Army Chief also emphasised on morals, ethics and value systems in the Army. He brought out that professional commitment, loyalty, sacrifice and integrity were the need of the hour and that there would be no compromise with respect to the image of the Army. Veerendra/Rajendra
Army Commander's Conference commenced: PIB

No place for half measures: IPL mother of all scams

Pankaj Vohra
The government appears to be in a dilemma over whether to order a probe into the functioning of the Indian Premier League (IPL) by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) or allow its agencies to investigate the matter that could have wide-ranging political ramifications.
The controversy seems to be leading to a situation where the IPL may make way for a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) given the amount of money that has allegedly changed hands illegally in the name of cricket.
It is only a matter of time before the Apex Court will have to step in if the credibility of the system has to be restored in the eyes of the people who have been under the spell of the IPL for over a month now.
In the eye of the storm is the IPL tsar Lalit Modi whose alleged murky dealings may open a Pandora’s box that could jeopardise the political future of many top politicians. Shashi Tharoor, the former Minister of State for External Affairs, has already fallen by the wayside and no one knows who may follow suit.
The entire IPL circus has turned out to be the biggest scam of our times and could expose the ugly nexus among tax evaders, film stars, politicians, cricketers, corporate giants and the underworld. The IPL has also cast a shadow on its parent body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that has as its members senior politicians from the NCP, the BJP and the Congress besides some smaller parties. Designed to help develop cricket, the League has got entangled in allegations of gambling, prostitution, match-fixing, money-laundering and tax evasion.
Read more:
No place for half measures

19 year old girl raped by two jawans, held

Press Trust Of India
Pune, April 09, 2010
Two Army jawans were on Friday arrested for allegedly raping a 19-year-old girl in Sangvi area near in Pune, police said.
The two jawans allegedly raped the girl on Wednesday night at Swaraj garden after beating up her lover.
The couple had gone for a ride on a motorcycle but had to dismount when they ran out of petrol. The two accused then scared away the youth and took the girl to the adjacent open ground where they allegedly committed the crime, they said.
The girl later filed a complaint with the police, which arrested the duo identified as Rajneesh Kumar Sureshchandra (from Uttar Pradesh) and Suminder Singh Mahipal Singh (Rajasthan) this morning.
The incident comes days after a married woman was gangraped in the city.
19 year old girl raped by two jawans, held

Comment
This is making National News in the Media and TV. In this shocking incident, a 19 year old girl raped by two jawans of Rajputana Rifles in Pune as the girl was forced by the duo to their camp and committed misdeed. The medical report of raped still awaited in the case. It is most likely the duo were under the influence of alcohol.
The Battalion Commander who is a full Colonel is squarely to blame for the this gruesome rape (if committed) of a young girl near the Military Camp and for the indiscipline of his troops! The Battalion Commander needs to come out in the open and apologise in Public rather than trying to cover/ shield the misdeed of the culprits. What a shame and disgrace!

Women Officers: Pros and cons

Ref:
1. Women Officers: Facts and Fiction
2. Women Officers: More Facts

I agree with Major Archana Lokeshwar.
I did read the article by Maj Gen Mrinal Suman and gave it the treatment it deserved... EDITED ... .
I have had the privilege of having commanded two frontline airbases. Both had lady officers in all branches of officer cadre.I also had lady officers serving in various capacities at Air Force Academy and Air Force Station, Bidar.
No lady officer ever flinched from any duty given to her. In fact, I as the AOC would try to be protective but the gutsy young ladies would say "Sir, Dont treat us differently. We will do all that the male officers do in the line of duty (including night duties)". And to their credit they did perform their duties diligently with utmost care and attention to details.
Of course there were a few black sheep, but then there are more such examples from the male bastion. It would be incorrect to say that lady officers are a burden. In most cases they are an asset just like in the case of male officers.
To have an opinion based on a couple of indifferent episodes would be very unfair. I had a few male officers who ought to have retired as cadets, but then based on those experiences I cant write off the entire male officer cadre.
Best Wishes n Regards,
Brig Ashok D Chhibbar (Retd)

Bipin Trivedi
My dear General Suman and Major Archana,
While I've neither the academic credentials of the general nor the gender qualification of the major, having worked with lady officers as Adjt MCTE, 2IC 15 Corps Engg Sig Regt, CO WCSR and CO 2TTR, I presume to be adequately, albeit barely, qualified to comment on the desirability or otherwise of lady officers in the defence services.
The right question, to my mind, is not "Should we have lady officers in the defence services?" but "What segments of the population ought to be recruited in the defence forces of a democracy?"

The armed forces of a democracy, like all other institutions of the state, must recruit from all segments of the society. They must recruit form all segments of society to be national, to obtain a buy in form every segment of the population, a dire necessity in the time of total war. It is for this reason that the army recruits uniformly from all over the country even though the army is deployed primarily in the North. To cite an extreme example, the army recruits from Andaman & Nicobar despite the fact that a soldier who travels to Andaman & Nicobar on annual leave ends up spending an inordinately long time traveling.
Women form an increasingly important constituency in this nation as is evident from their growing role in the workplace. They must accordingly be accommodated in the defence services. It is for the services to work out the modalities of recruitment, training, employment and discharge. I refuse to believe that women can't make a
positive contribution to the defence services or that the defence services are too rigid to accommodate women amongst their ranks. My own limited experience suggests that lady officers merge into the team and take on their share of the load. I think we ought to be looking for ways to increase the participation of women in the defence services rather than questioning the limited representation that we have.
Col Bipin Trivedi (Retd)

Ramachandran Mahesh
Sent: 30 March 2010 12:19
I entirely agree with the contents of Gen Suman's article. When facts are stated as they should indeed be, it does sound politically incorrect. I have served in and commanded units posted with lady officers. No one can complain on their capabilities in certain roles . It is in combat roles that the problem arises . A few points:
Need to remember that there is a huge difference between equality and similarity. While no one argues against equality, can there ever be similarity between the two sexes. If that was the case, you and i would be pregnant - sorry to sound crude. Just by putting on pants, aunty does not become uncle.
A British medical study has said that menstruating females have huge problems in high G air manoueveres. Flying a passenger aircraft from Delhi to Mumbai is one thing - manoevering Su 30s or F 18s in the face of enemy fire is quite another.
When it comes to their own security even the offices of National Council For women have male security personnel. By the way has anyone seen female security in any residential societies or banks or even ATMs ? With this confidence level, we want to trust them with our national security !! Even offices of NDTV (Barkha) and CNN/IBN (Sagarika) have predominantly male security with one odd female for frisking duties.
Our VVIPs and celebrities including the likes of Sonia Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, sushma Swaraj have only male body guards/ security - why?
People quote American and allied Armies where women are in combat roles. This is a huge fallacy, since out of the 1800 odd persons killed in combat in Iraq and Afganisthan, not a single person was a female.(As already brought out by Gen Suman)
For decades there have been separate set of rules for men and woman even in sports - including golf and these are for very good reasons.
Ask any male YO and he will tell you that his female counterpart gets awards and citations for doing a fraction of the work done by her male colleagues.
Ask our MS branch guys about the number of requests they have for spouse postings from these so called "Equally capable for combat" ladies .
When we moved for OP Parakram in Dec 2001, we had to recall a lot of our guys on leave as per the SOP by sending telegrams. Can someone tell me how to recall people from maternity leave ?!!
These are not teething problems. For the last 17 years, barring a few exceptions, lady officers have not done themselves proud even in non combat roles. If not nipped in the bud right now, national security will take a huge beating.
Col (Retd) R Mahesh

ASP Vinod ASP
Sent: 30 March 2010 12:52
Dear Major Archana Lokeshwar,
1. Thank you for having the courage to highlight some very twisted ideas many men have concerning women. More so, it is regrettable that some of these persons with stunted thinking are in the Army posing to speak for all the Officers of this fair organisation.
2. One must continue to strive for equality and justice, no matter who or what the opposition may be. I am completely with and support all women who fight for their right due in society and in life.
3. All of us have been made equal in the eyes of the Maker. It is only persons with small minds, misogynists and those who have no faith n their own abilities that drum up fanciful visions of their own making and pass them of as “facts”.
4. I happen to be a fourth generation officer in the Army, my son hopes to make it a fifth generation; so I do have some background when I say that there are a large No. of fair-minded Officers in the Army. It was their open-minded approach that got ladies into the Army in the first place. Those right-thinking individuals are still there. We will ensure that our daughters and our lady officers get an even-handed deal.
5. Change in our Indian mind-set has to begin outside the Forces, within our families to accept the girl child, women and ladies as equals. More power to this change.
Yours sincerely
Col ASP Vinod

Women Officers: More facts delineated- an apt rebuttal

Reference: Women in the Armed Forces: Fiction and Facts: click here to read the article

Dear General Mrinal Suman, AVSM, VSM, PhD,
Good Morning,
It was a pleasure reading the article written by you. More so is that you also publicizing the article by circulating the same through E-mails. Please accept my congratulations to you for your writing skills. You did spend sometime other then your regular jobs to get it completed and published.

I would have felt proud ( which unfortunately I am not after reading your point of view), if only you would have mentioned constructive points and measures to be taken then to abandon the whole idea of keeping women in Defence forces.

What you have written is already known to everyone since they are born to a lady only and they know what differences are there between a male and female.

I am so sorry to take a major offence to your certain points where you have felt sorry, mentioning only few here,

1. That how many women fail in physical standards.
You must mean that no man fail in physical standard tests.
2. Women ask for compassionate postings.
You must not be aware of number of men who have taken compassionate postings and are enjoying peace tenures for many years all together.
3. Women become pregnant (It’s a news to all of us) after joining Army and they put more burden on military hospitals.
Only lady officers get pregnant and no officer’s wife get pregnant. Great to know this. Such an experience of delivering a child itself is so strenuous and after that also they manage their home along with office without complaint.
4. I have much more to say but refraining myself to write an article in reply of an article.
5. Your article only got published because this is a male dominated society else it would have been thrown in trash for posing your own thoughts as the correct facts and figures. (I am very sorry for being honest with you.)
6. You should have spoken to right people who commanded the lady officers, for then only you would have got correct picture. Lady officers do perform many duties which you feel they don’t including night duty officers.
7. God has created Men and women with many biological, physical and mental differences. A women has mental strength more than any men on this earth to with stand pressure and then also performing multitasking.

Please read your own article again and think again whether you have conveyed your point or degraded the whole lady officers lot by posing them as burden on Indian Army. If we have some restraints then we must look for ways to solve them and we must not run away from the challenges of problems and also should not even recommend stopping the current commissioning. Your article is only to please male counterparts and discourage females from joining army. Its better to look at positives first and then negatives and find a solution.

May god bless you.
Our country is truly blessed with many people encouraging you and giving you a pat at your back.
With warm regards
Major Archana Lokeshwar (Ex Indian Army)

Comments
I totally agree with Maj Archna Lokeshwar.
The article by Gen Sen (Mrinal Suman) was an insult to humanity as a whole. The deep-rooted bias is evident, and has to change. While deployment in combat oriented roles remains a controversial issue all over the world, better accept the fact that women are here to stay for good, and they are doing a good job at that. The supposed comment ascribed to a JCO regarding overburdening of maternity wards makes me want to hang my head in shame, and coming from a retired General of the Sappers!!?!!
These are teething troubles and let us help every stakeholder in making a smoother transition rather than cribbing on the basis of ingrained prejudice.
Maj Navdeep Singh
Advocate High Court

Women in the Armed Forces: Fiction and Facts

It should never be forgotten that the raison d’être for the constitution of the armed forces is to ensure security of the country. Decisions which have a far reaching effect on the defence potential of the armed forces must be taken with due diligence. Instead of replicating a model, India must chart its own policy. It has an experience of 18 years. Honest feedback must be sought to appreciate the true ground situation and initiate corrective measures. Most importantly, the military brass must show moral courage to admit that the present mess demands a holistic review of the policy, protestations of self-styled champions of gender-parity not withstanding. Decisions taken as a matter of political and populist expediency can prove disastrous for the nation in the long run. Defence matters cannot be treated as publicity gimmick to flaunt sexual equality.

Maj Gen Mrinal Suman is India’s foremost expert in defence procurement procedures and offsets. He heads Defence Technical Assessment and Advisory Services Group of CII.

Read the full and related articles:
Women in the Armed Forces: misconceptions and facts By Maj Gen Mrinal Suman (IDR Issue: Vol 25.1 Jan-Mar 2010)
Women in the Armed Forces
Women in the Armed Forces: Part 2
Women in the Armed Forces: Part 3
Women in the Armed Forces: Part 4
Women in the Armed Forces: Part 5
WOMEN IN THE ARMED FORCES
Why won’t US allow women in combat

Readers Comments
Mrinal Suman has written excellent article on women Service and factually so very correct. I compliment him for this effort and his fothright and candid views.
Lt Gen DP Sehgal (Former SO-in-C)

The write up was interesting.
I was told by someone that the ACRs of the lady officers are so good that the Govt cannot by any stretch of imagination stop inducting the ladies. After all they would go by the records they have and not what a soldier perceives.
Thanks and regards
Govindarajan

Monsoon Rains exposes underbelly of Chennai's poor quality infrastructure

— Photo: A. Muralitharan Difficult trek: Not many people prefer using the subway in the face of water stagnation and safety issues.

CHENNAI: Pedestrians using the subway connecting Trisoolam railway station and the Chennai airport are facing problems because of lack of security and stagnating water. One can see a sheet of water on the ground soon after entering the subway from the station side. A ‘spring’ of water on the sides of the steps overflows on to the ground. Many passengers from the airport carrying heavy luggage, particularly those fitted with wheels, are put to lot of inconvenience.

People working in the airport lament that even after a short spell of rain, water stagnates in the subway. To avoid the water, some people take the risk of crossing the busy national highway to reach the airport or vice-versa with their luggage.

“Engineering marvel”
The subway was constructed at a cost of Rs.5 crore and inaugurated in April last year. National Highways Authorities of India (NHAI) officials had then termed the facility an engineering marvel, as it was constructed without any road cuts.

When contacted, NHAI officials said they had received complaints about water stagnation. Water from the Trisoolam station’s stormwater drains was seeping into the subway. The NHAI was pumping out the water. A meeting with the railway officials would be organised soon to sort out the issue. The officials said the maintenance of the subway had been handed over to a private contractor, who was baling out water during and after rain regularly.

Women harassed
Another major issue haunting the users was the lack of security and safety, particularly during late evening hours. This issue was raised at a recent meeting, in which the Airline Operators Committee (AOC) complained to the Airport Director that women working in airline counters and ground handling agencies at the airport had to encounter anti-social elements. They were being harassed by a group of autorickshaw drivers, who parked their vehicles near the subway. However, the victims had not filed any formal complaints with law-enforcing agencies. The AOC had requested the police to provide security at the subway during late evening hours, they added.
Stagnating water hits subway users

Chennai's Collapsing Infrastructure

Open storm drain converted to open raw sewage drain
Most of the subways and Road under Rail bridges are filled with water and not usable during monsoons. The quality of works is sub- standard and road surfaces do not last even 9 months. Add to this open storm drains turned into open sewage drains directly connected to sewer lines from houses and footpaths taken over by vendors and used as parking areas. There is no citizen safety in the streets of Chennai City for women as well as men.
Chennai Airport has become hotbed for con men, touts, beggars, scoundrels, and goons operating in the guise of travel agents or drivers freely operating in the International Airport car parking area. It seems that the local Police are in league with the hundreds of scoundrels operating 24x7 in the International Airport. The recent custom duty scam is also related to unauthorised touts operating in and around the Airport in connivance with the Authorities.

Women Army officers given little hope

The Government on Friday virtually ruled out giving permanent commission to serving women officers, instead offering them help for a business course in top B-schools for a corporate career.

The suggestion by Solicitor General of India Gopal Subramanium before the Delhi High Court virtually seals the fate of about 1,000 serving women officers on short service commission in the armed forces, who are left with hardly a few days in uniform.

For now the court has stayed their retirement till the final outcome of the case and posted the matter for final arguments on November 19.

Over 20 officers had filed a PIL challenging the decision to bypass them for future grant of permanent commission to women officers. As per government plans, it's only by 2015 that the first batch of women officers will be technically sworn in as permanent commissioned officers.

Currently, women are inducted in the Army as officers under the short service commission for a maximum period of 14 years, even as their male counterparts are eligible to receive permanent commission after five years.

But Subramanium was clear that the government policy would be in effect “prospectively” for future batches of women officers as the training and examination processes of women candidates have to fine-tuned to suit the “additional avenues” opening up for them in the armed forces. “A gestation period of at least 10 years is necessary. We need to have at least that much leeway,” Subramanium said, suggesting that there was no room for the current women officers.
Women Army officers given little hope

Army sacks 'harassed' lady officer

11 Jul 2009, 1924 hrs IST, Times Now
An Army court martial has ordered the dismissal of a woman officer from service, a first in almost two decades since women were recruited, after holding her guilty of falsely accusing her seniors of sexual harassment. The court martial, which had assembled in the Division Headquarters at Patiala in Punjab near Chandigarh, gave its orders yesterday (July 10) and ordered that Army Service Corps (ASC) officer Captain Poonam Kaur be sacked.

"The Court Martial has ordered her dismissal from service. Capt Kaur had been charged on 10 counts including disobedience, making false allegations against superior officers and addressing the media pertaining to service matters," Kaur's counsel and retired Colonel S K Aggarwal said. The army court's decision, which came after about five months of hearing, will now go to the Western Army Commander Lt Gen T K Sapru for confirmation.

Kaur is the second woman officer of the Army to be court martialled after Major Dimple Singla, an officer with the Judge Advocate General branch of the Army, was tried on corruption charges in 2006 at Chandigarh since Army began recruiting women as officers in the army in 1993. Singla's court martial was later stayed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2007. Capt Poonam Kaur had on July 15 last year alleged three officers of her unit, 5682 Battalion of the Army Supply Corps based in Kalka, Haryana, had mentally and sexually harassed her and confined her illegally when she resisted their advances.

A Court of Inquiry (COI) ordered to investigate the allegations levelled by Capt Kaur against her superior officers had held that there was no basis for these charges and later recommended a court martial against her for "false charges." She had accused three of her seniors, including her commanding officer, the unit's second-in-command and adjutant -- a Colonel, Lt Col and a Major rank officer respectively -- of harassing her for many months. These officers had denied the allegations during the COI.

However, Aggarwal claimed that "Her charges of sexual harassment against Col R K Sharma, Lt Col Chawla and Major Suraj Bhan were never investigated by the COI and the Army authorities never looked into them. Her allegations against these officers have been put under the carpet". He also maintained that Kaur never addressed the media pertaining to service matters. "Had the allegations of sexual harassment not come out in the media, then people would have never known what is happening in the Army and that the ladies are not safe," he alleged.
Army sacks 'harassed' lady officer

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Another scandal mars Indian defense: Written by Siddharth Srivastava

Women officers grieviences addressed

The Government has decided to grant Permanent Commission prospectively to Short Service Commission officers, both men and women, in branches and cadres of the three services, which do not entail direct combat or possibility of physical contact with enemy.

The branches where permanent commission would be granted include Judge advocate General, Army Education Corps and its corresponding branches in Navy and Air Force, Accounts branch of the Air Force and Naval Constructor of the Navy.

The selection will be based on a common merit and eligibility criteria, which would be decided by each Service Headquarters. A tri-service study carried out in 2006 on all aspects of employment of women officers in the Services recommended that women officers would be excluded from induction in close combat arms where chances of physical contact with enemy were high.

Women officers have been in the Armed Forces for about 80 years and served with competence and distinction. They were inducted in the Military Nursing Service in 1927 and in the Medical Officers Cadre since 1943. Following Cabinet approval, induction of women officers in other branches in the three services started in 1992.

• 1072 women officers in Army (excluding medical services)
• 793 women officers in IAF including medical officers.
• 63 women officers in IAF in Flying Branch.
• 126 women officers in Medical & Dental in IAF.
• 258 women officers in Navy.
• 752 Women Medical Officers in AMC
• 490 Women Medical Permanent Commission Officers.
• 2834 Women officers in MNS.

The decision of the Government is a great break through in leveling the gender discrimination. When a nation can have women P.M and President (The Supreme Commander) why not a COAS ? The day is not far off for India to have woman Marshal of the Air Force.

The First Women General in the Indian Army Maj Gen (Miss)GA Ram (Director MNS) was appointed on Aug 27, 1976.

Mother Theresa and Mahatma Gandhi cannot be compared. Millions admire Mahatma, but billions love Mother Theresa. A Mother is always loved more than a Father. (The women officers in the Armed Forces should keep this in mind and be Proud of being Mother first and Officer next).

Posted By Muthukrishnan to indianexserviceman at 5/06/2009 09:53:00 PM

Army lets women be soldiers for life

Photo courtesy Bharat Rakshak
The move comes after HT carried a series of reports highlighting gender bias in the forces and triggered a debate. It will give the women officers their rightful place in a male-dominated military culture, some 15 years after they were allowed into the armed forces.

National Defence Academy and other service-specific training institutions will no longer be the exclusive domain of male cadets. Lieutenant General Punita Arora (retd), the first lady to don the three-star rank in India’s military history, told HT, “The girls have proved their worth in the armed forces. They deserve it.”

However, women will continue to be accepted only in responsibilities more in tune with generally accepted notions of gender. Close combat would essentially imply serving in the infantry, armoured corps, flying a fighter aircraft or sailing on a warship.

A senior army officer said the existing cadre of women officers is unlikely to benefit as permanent commission would come with its own terms and conditions. Defence ministry figures show there are just 945 women out of 35,377 officers in the army, 739 out of 10,563 officers in the air force and 236 out of 7,336 officers in the navy. HT had recently reported that several lady officers were opting for corporate sector with the government dithering on permanent commission.
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National Defence Academy may let in women cadets
Armed Forces crack their glass ceiling: allow permanent commission for women
India’s first woman permanent commission officer by 2013

UNLIMITED OPPORTUNITIES
Indian Armed forces trains in the art of war besides the academic curriculum, it also gives ample scope to acquire new skills constantly. Activities like river rafting, para jumping, rock climbing, trekking, mountaineering or even desert safaris. When it comes to adventure and sports, there’s no place like the armed forces. Why should the women be left out? A very wise decision taken by MOD to straighten its record.

Recruit more women: Reduce sexual harassment

PTI Photo
Captain Poonam Kaur’s allegations of sexual harassment have clouded the Indian army’s reputation, the fact remains that as long as women are barely tolerated in the military and unable to wield real power, such instances will recur. The Indian army has been recruiting women for the last 15 years, initially to fill up junior slots that were falling vacant. In their 10 years of work, women officers can rise only up to the level of a major, so their male colleagues have no fear of reprisal.

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Recruit more women: Else, power differentials in the army are bound to be abused

Towards Better India

Leadership
Retired Officers can do a lot for the benefit and progress of the Nation. This is where our retired Generals can lead the way. However, sadly, many of them are in the money spinning business even after retirement and forget what they have been taught in the Academy as Military Leaders. I remember a civilian tell me sometime back that a retired general who was appointed chairman of a state Public Service Commission was more corrupt than a civilian. Really I was saddened and could not reply to his observations.

Inherent Strengths
One of the strongest positive aspect of our Defence Forces: totally impartial, non-communal, apolitical force. I feel one must capitalise on this unifying concept and spread the message. For the last 60 years none of the Political Parties have been able to make inroads into our secular armed forces or sully its name and traditions.

Setting Values
ESM must cherish the values, duties and responsibilities as an concerned citizen.

To abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem;

To cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom;

To uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India;

To defend the country and render national service in whatever small feasible way;

To promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic or regional diversities;

To renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women;

To value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture;

To protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life, and to have compassion for living creatures;

To develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform;

To safeguard public property and to abjure violence;

To strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievement.