Pramesh S Jain
It was a special ocassion for army as a group of 100 young women warriors who are set to be inducted into the Indian Army in May as Lance Naiks as the country’s first Military Police Women wing.
These trained cadet between the age group of 19 and 22 years selectees out of two lakh applicants across the country.
While some of them are national level athletes majority of them are graduates and post graduates.
These cadets are selected on their meritorious education and also for their NCC stint during the course of study.
Whether it’s the policing duties, driving a heavy vehicle or managing a communication post, these women are confident, assertive and fearless. In an answer to a question, a women soldier affirmed that Uniform is her first spouse.
The instructors are proud of training the first batch and converting girls into soldiers. Their uptake is much better and they are quick learners, said one of the Havildar instructors.
Twenty-Seven of the women are from Uttar Pradesh,26 from Haryana,eight from Karnataka, six from Kerala,two each from Himachal Pradesh and Assam and one person each from the rest of the states like Punjab,Haryana,Rajasthan,Tamil Nadu state.
These cadets were trained to serve and take up challenging tasks of handling Policing duties, driving heavy vehicles,and managing communication posts besides trained in obstacles,armed and unarmed combats.
The team of officers imparting training headed by Brig C Dayalan at CMP Centre School has been ever-ready and proactive to deal with the adjustment issues at initial stages which was managed well.
The Training officer Lt Col Julee monitors every movement and every event of WMP very closely and she ensures that Vishakha Committee guidelines are followed in letter and spirit.
Capt Gurbani Simran Bedi has made them physically tough by imparting physical training and Maj Rich Chakravarty has taken care of the health and wellness of these women soldiers which enabled them to sustain the rigorous training.
The landmark decision of inducting women at lower ranks in the force has paved the way of Sister Service to bring the change, Col. RS Dalal, Deputy commandant and chief instructor of the training,said.
