In a historic first, the Indian Army has inducted five women officers into its Regiment of Artillery. After successfully finishing their training at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai, Lt Mehak Saini, Lt Sakshi Dubey, Lt Aditi Yadav, Lt Pious Mudgil, and Lt Akanksha have joined the Army's elite artillery battalions.
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Women Officers Posted to Frontline Formations:
Military sources have reported that three of the five women officers have been posted to frontline formations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, while the other two have been posted to “challenging locations” near the frontier with Pakistan. The Regiment of Artillery is a major combat support arm with approximately 280 units handling various gun systems such as Bofors howitzers, Dhanush, M-777 howitzers, and K-9 Vajra self-propelled cannons.
Women Officers to Receive Adequate Training:
The sources also stated that the young women officers are being posted to all types of key artillery units, where they will receive adequate training and exposure to handle rockets, field and surveillance, and target acquisition (SATA) systems, as well as key equipment.
Approval of the Proposal by the Government:
Gen Manoj Pande, Chief of Army Staff, announced the decision to commission women officers into artillery units in January. The government later approved the proposal.
