FIRST OF HER NAME

A SEBI chair, a railway board chief, an elephant whisperer, a naval commander, an Army captain and a bunch of young women with space dreams are Claiming their place in the sun

- POOIA BIRAIA IAISWAL

This Republic Day, history was made twice on the Kartavya Path. First, the Union government dedicated the 2024 Republic Day Parade to women in a captivating display of 25 vibrant tableaux showcasing a 'Viksit Bharat'-a nation developing at the hands of its women. Second, Captain Sandhya Mahla became the first woman to command a women-only tri-contingent from the Army, Navy and Air Force at the parade. This was naari shakti at its best and strongest, showcasing the multifaceted roles women hold within the armed forces. "We have been trained to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our male counterparts," says Mahla. "We are all on the same footing and that is what makes it a thrill to work as a woman Army officer." Her name will go down in history alongside that of Commander Prerna Deosthalee, the first woman commanding officer of an Indian naval warship, INS Trinkat. Her appointment, says Navy Chief Admiral R. Hari Kumar, has been in sync with the Navy's philosophy of 'all roles-all ranks' for female personnel.