Parwinder Sandhu
New Delhi, March 7 (UNI) Every year, the world pauses to celebrate women, their strength, their sacrifices, their quiet revolutions. But in India this International Women's Day, the celebration echoes not in speeches or ceremonies alone, but in the roar of fighter jets, the vast silence of open seas, and the crisp salute of a uniform worn with hard-earned pride.
These are not symbolic gestures. They are history being written in real time, by women who climbed into cockpits of fighter jets, the world said weren't built for them, sailed oceans with no one to call for help, and stepped into regiments where no woman had stood before. They did not simply break barriers. They made the barriers irrelevant.
“It’s the fire in my eyes, And the flash of my teeth, The swing in my waist, And the joy in my feet. I’m a woman. Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that’s me.”
The spirit captured in these celebrated lines, penned by Maya Angelou, resonates strongly with the changing face of India’s armed forces, where women officers are steadily redefining the boundaries of service and leadership.
As the nation marks International Women’s Day on Sunday, their journeys reflect courage, resilience and quiet determination in a domain long perceived as male-dominated.
Among the recent trailblazers are naval officers Lt Cdrs Dilna K and Roopa A, who created history by becoming the first women officers to receive the Shaurya Chakra, conferred by President Droupadi Murmu on the eve of the 77th Republic Day. The honour recognised their extraordinary achievement during the Indian Navy’s global sailing expedition Navika Sagar Parikrama II.
The eight-month voyage, which began on October 2, 2024, saw the duo sail more than 21,600 nautical miles, roughly 40,000 kilometres, across some of the world’s most challenging waters.
Navigating without external assistance and relying entirely on wind power, the officers demonstrated exceptional seamanship, resilience and teamwork. When their vessel returned to the Goan coast on May 29, the two officers had etched their names in history by becoming the first Indians to circumnavigate the globe in the demanding double-handed sailing format.
Interestingly, neither officer came from a professional sailing background. Lt Cdr Dilna, a logistics officer who joined the Navy in 2014, is also an accomplished sport shooter and former state-level cricketer from Kerala. Lt Cdr Roopa, an aeronautical engineering graduate who joined naval service in 2017, earlier worked with the National Aerospace Laboratories in Bengaluru before beginning her naval career.
In the skies, Sqn Ldr Shivangi Singh has emerged as another symbol of the expanding role of women in combat aviation. Commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 2017 as part of its second batch of women fighter pilots, the Varanasi-born officer first drew attention in 2020 when she was selected to fly the formidable Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft after initially operating the MiG-21 Bison.
Her career has continued to scale new heights with her earning the prestigious Qualified Flying Instructor badge after completing a rigorous training programme at the Flying Instructors School in Tambaram, Tamil Nadu.
During Operation Sindoor, Singh’s name surfaced widely on social media amid a wave of misinformation that falsely claimed her aircraft had been shot down near Sialkot. Authorities later clarified that the reports were entirely baseless.
Breaking barriers within the Army’s specialised branches, Captain Harshita created history by becoming the first woman officer inducted into the Remount and Veterinary Corps (RVC) of the Indian Army.
A graduate in Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, she also led the RVC contingent during the Republic Day Parade, marking a significant milestone for the Corps. The RVC plays a vital role in the breeding, training and care of military animals such as horses, mules and dogs that assist troops in challenging terrains.
For Captain Harshita, joining the Corps fulfilled her childhood dream of serving as an Army officer while continuing her work as a veterinarian caring for animals.
Another remarkable milestone came from the cockpit when Sqn Ldr Priya Sharma became the only woman pilot to fly the final ceremonial sortie of the iconic Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter aircraft.
A 2018 graduate of the Air Force Academy, Squadron Leader Sharma belongs to the early batches of women fighter pilots in the Air Force. Hailing from Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district, she followed in the footsteps of her father to join the service, inspired by childhood memories of watching Jaguar and Hawk aircraft in the skies during his postings.
An engineering graduate and the only woman fighter pilot in her batch, Sharma underwent advanced fighter training at Hakimpet and later at Bidar before operational deployment. Her journey came full circle this year when she flew alongside Indian Air Force Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh during the MiG-21 farewell formation at Nal Air Force Station in Bikaner, marking the closing chapter of the legendary aircraft’s service in the Indian Air Force.
Together, these achievements highlight how women in India’s armed forces are no longer merely breaking barriers but are setting new standards of excellence. Like Angelou’s “phenomenal woman”, they are embracing their strength and individuality, proving that the courage to serve the nation knows no gender.
UNI PWS AAB