An officer and a lady: 30 year fight for equality in the Armed Forces

2022 marks the 30th anniversary of the moment that the Indian Army started inducting women in branches other than the medical corps. This historic moment in 1992 was just the beginning of the journey that women would chart in the armed forces, with a slow progression to the present time where women are also allowed as personnel below officer rank (PBOR). It's been an epic journey, especially for the 615 women who fought for the permanent commission because the Ministry of Defence only allowed women to work for Short Service Commissions (SSC) which was initially just five years of service and then was gradually increased to 14 years of service. From 2003 to 2020, these pioneer women fought a long, lonely battle for equality, to get the same pay, same perks as their male peers. Even after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced it as a policy division in 2018, that women would be given permanent commission, it was still blocked in other ways in courts. In this week's episode, Sunetra Choudhury tells the story of the fight that went from Delhi High Court to Supreme Court. She also speaks to four women officers to tell their journey as SSC officers and what they feel about women getting equal rights and studying in the National Defence Academy for the first time. The podcast features : Greeshma Mannari, joined Indian Army under SSC in 2000 and served in the Western Sector Lt. Commander Seema Verma, joined Navy in 1993 and left in 2006 ahead of her 14 year tenure Sq Leader Sumedha Chopra who joined the Air Force in 2009 and completed her tenure of 14 years service Sq Leader Varlin Panwar who served for 10 years as fighter controller in the Indian Air Force