By Mukesh Kaushik
Nathu La (Indo-China border): In one of the most
difficult Indian frontiers facing a formidable and assertive neighbour like
China, she is the one and the only woman officer in the entire brigade at Nathu
La, between India and China. She is the eyes and ears for hundreds of troops as
provides them real time critical information.
Captain Swati Singh is posted in 63 Brigade of the Indian
Army which is deployed in eastern sector in Sikkim near Nathu La pass
overlooking China. She is Signals incharge in the Brigade and her
duty is to keep alive lines of communications for the troops posted in her
area.
Captain Singh had chosen the military uniform over a very
lucrative career in a multinational software company. “I was being offered a
post of software engineer by Infosys, but in the meanwhile I cleared the exam
of the services and without giving any second thought I opted for the later”
she said proudly, in an interview to the correspondent.
She is the first generation military officer in her family of
engineers. Her younger sister, an engineer like her, has opted for a private
job in Larsen and Toubro. Captain Singh hails from Lucknow, a city of Nawabs
from where she did her engineering in Babu Banarsi Das Institute of Technology.
Her father, who works of the Central Water Board, inspired her to join the
Indian Army, she said.
“I joined army two years ago and I was commissioned in 17th
Division in Sikkim. For the last one year I am in this brigade and despite
being only woman officer I never felt alone or awkward here.” She said. Her
Brigade Head Quarter is in Thegu near Nathu La and it takes at least five hours
of bumpy motor ride to reach out to Gangtok. “Life is not easy in military but
that is what I was fully aware of when I decided to join the army,” she said.
She adds, “Had I joined the Infosys, I may be serving in
bustling and lively city like Bangalore but that would certainly not have given
me the same kind of satisfaction I draw here while performing my duty in this
inhospitable terrain.” Wishing that more and more girls should opt for joining
Indian army she said, “Terrains or training may be difficult but our
organisation is certainly very caring and friendly for the women officers.”
(The correspondent was part of the official entourage of agency reporters taken to Nathu La as part of Independence Day Celebrations. Chinese Army officials had also joined the function.)
this shows the planning of th MS branch. A lone women posted in hostile, tough and difficult envoirment so that she breaks and leaves the forces . why cant amedical ,signal ordnance ,asc
ReplyDeletelady officers be also posted so that atleast she has some body to talk
Only a first generation woman officer can give such stupid interviews at such young age and service while there are many other woman officers in more hostile locations. They don't smile like monkeys when saluting like this idiot is doing.
ReplyDeleteGet a life guys.
Agreed agreed ^
ReplyDeleteI cant help but notice how improperly turned out this one is. If anyone does adorn the uniform, then he/she will not fail to notice that her left side is absolutely messed up. Check out her button..it looks like it will rip off and fall from her SD. And also the lanyard.. Girlie, it goes around the button and into the pocket. Not like you have hung it just like that. People please STOP glorifying such nincompoops and even if u wish to talk about woman officers, then choose some hardcore officer.. Somebody who has epitomized it all and not made a mockery of women in uniform. And do not miss her peak cap.. it's tilted.. her salute at last.. fingers open wide apart and the thumb BENT... grrrrr.. she's absolutely annoying.. ofcourse civilians will be fooled by this article and will not be able to actually understand the depth of it all. like messing around with uniform and turnout. To all the woman officers : Have some dignity and stop liking such articles on fb..
ReplyDeleteAditi, don’t know problem you have what if media has given coverage to a daughter of this nation posted in frontiers in such a hostile condition even as lone women officer and what if you are able to find out some shortcomings of her. It really doesn't matter how she encounter media and other people but it really matters how she performs her duties in such difficult conditions. Rather criticizing her you and we should not only applause her and girls like her who have been continuously breaking old and subtle ethos of this society. I must say you can’t add in society then don’t damage the society. So be inspired and let others to be inspired.
ReplyDeleteonly if u r a part of the forces should u realize what a disaster this is. i have a problem with such officers, women n gentlemen alike. there is nothing to show off. n don't tell me about not contributing. this my 13th year of service running. n this funny creature is just born. these youngsters do send an itching sensation running in my veins. absolutely devoid of values. n c'mon she is not the only one. there is a lady officer in every station n many a times she is the only one. so there is nothing great about it. like i said u civilians will not understand. so cheers!
ReplyDeleteDear Aditi ! you are not the only one in this society who have problem with every damn thing on this planet ! I wish people like you could start thinking with their brains. But as i said you are not the only one ! so Cheers !
ReplyDeleteHi Aditi... even M a fauji like U are... actually not like U... better than U are... it is so pity that even after 13 years of service U are cribbing like a baby... that shows how much officer like U are... well... all I have to say is.. "Get Well Soon" our sympathies are with U... :)
ReplyDelete@Aditi
ReplyDeleteI pity on SSB who accepted a moron like you..Because I feel SSB judges human values and integrity apart from being intelligent.See you may not like her interview but you have used such a word that degrades the honour of the army officer. See I am not into armed forces but held a very high regard towards it. But reading your comments I really feel there are some undeserving people in the force.
@ Capt. Swati Singh ..By the way my comment should have been for laurels for the Lady Officer capt. Swati Singh.But this stupid comment swayed me a bit. Anyways I personally feel that though hard the service conditions you might be having you are really enjoying the same. See in the end what makes you happy is satisfaction at work which it seems from your interview have plenty of the same. And the byproduct of this satisfaction is the guard of the nation. What best can be than this..HATS OFF LADY once again...And best of luck for a bright future and even the brightest life..
I proud of it and I also want to become an army officer. I am trying for that.
ReplyDeleteDear Jounalist, I happened to command this very brigade about 7 years ago. While life at Theggu(Brigade Headquarters) at 13,200 feet is tough, it is not tough enough as even families stay at that location, so it is not as if she would have been the only lady around as it is being made out to be.. Wish the journalist in question had the courage to deviate from the tourist circuit (Thegu is bank on road to the tourist circuit) and had the stamina, will and courage to climb some posts where her course-mates stay in islolated posts in virtual eyeball contact with the PLA and often have not very pleasing encounters with them, some of which are also circulating on social media. These are real soldiers these so called journalists could have covered, but they have their own compulsions to bring an element of glamour and nothing better than have a smiling lady officer do the same, never mind the context. It is reportage like this which undermines the status of lady officers and reduces them to poor things enduring so much with a smile.
ReplyDeleteAlso did not understand, what is she doing wearing SD at that location, unless she was required to participate in BPM (Border Personnel Meeting) with the Chinese. Doubt that ?
Any way, given the quality of our media, one did not expect any better. I think, the army itself needs yo sensitize our lady officers not to fall pray to the 'two minutes of fame' attitude.
Brig Rajan Jamwal (Veteran)