Lt Rekha Singh was on a high on Saturday not just because she was among 36 Short Service Commissioned Indian women officers who passed out from the Officers Training Academy, Chennai, to join Army Ordnance Corps. For her, it was more than that.

Lt Rekha Singh realised her dream by joining the Indian Army where her husband sacrificed his life for the sake of the country.

Naik Deepak Singh, a nursing assistant, died in Galwan clash with China in May of 2020 and was awarded the Vir Chakra for his gallant effort. Ignoring the fatal wound, Deepak Singh went on to provide medical relief to soldiers reportedly saving as many as 30 lives during the physical clash with Chinese PLA soldiers in Galwan, said Army sources.

As Army Ordnance Corps young officer, she has got her first posting in Ladakh, which happened to be the battleground of her husband.

This is batch of total 186 cadets from the OTA, which includes 121 men, has a first to its credit. Five women officers for the first time got commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery, said Army spokesperson in Chennai after the passing out parade. Five gentlemen cadets and 24 women cadets from friendly foreign countries like Bhutan also completed their training.

These young women officers are being posted to all types of artillery units, where they will get adequate training and exposure to handle rocket, field guns and Surveillance & Target Acquisition (SATA) and equipment in challenging conditions, said Army sources.

Lt Mehak Saini is commissioned into a SATA Regiment, Lt Sakshi Dubey and Lt Aditi Yadav into Field Regiments, Lt Pious Mudgil into a Medium Regiment and Lt Akanksha into a Rocket Regiment, Army sources pointed out.

Out of the five women officers, three are posted to units deployed along Northern borders and the other two in challenging locations in the Western theatre. The women officers commissioned into the Artillery are being provided exactly the same opportunities and challenges as 19 male officers, who were also commissioned into the artillery on Saturday, would face in the line of their duty.

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“The commissioning of women officers into the Regiment of Artillery is a testament to the ongoing transformation in the Indian Army, when, in January this year Chief of the Army Staff, General Manoj Pande, announced the decision of commissioning women officers to lead tanks and missiles, which was later approved by the government,” stated Army sources.

The passing out parade ceremony was attended by senior military officials, including Lt Gen Adosh Kumar, Colonel Commandant and Director General of Artillery (Designate), other dignitaries and proud family members of the newly commissioned officers.

The parade was reviewed by Gen SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of Bangladesh Army, who also presented the Sword of Honour and OTA Gold Medal to ACA Ajay Singh Gill, Silver Medal to SUO Ajay Kumar A, and the Bronze Medal to BUO Mehak Saini, said the Army officials.

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