Wing Commander Vijayalakshmi to Lieutenant Deeksha Tripathi:
While women officers in all three services have been regularly participating in adventure activities, they have only recently forayed into areas that were the exclusive domain of male soldiers
14 March, 2026 – Chandigarh : A young woman Army officer, Lieutenant Deeksha Tripathi, becoming the first female to qualify the grueling Army Martial Arts Routine (AMAR) programme in March, has attracted considerable attention as it is one of the most challenging combat-oriented courses that test the limits of physical endurance and mental resilience.
While women officers in all three services have been regularly participating in adventure activities, such as para-jumping, long-distance running, sailing expeditions, and car and bike rallies, they have only recently forayed into areas that were the exclusive domain of male soldiers.
Over the years, women officers have made their mark, shattering many glass ceilings. The role of women in India’s defence services has evolved steadily from limited support functions to increasingly diverse operational and leadership positions.
In the Indian context, women first entered service way back in 1888 with the formation of the Military Nursing Service, but at that time, it was open only to British nurses. It was not until 1914 that the first Indian nurse joined the service, and in 1943, members of the Indian Military Nursing Service were granted the status of commissioned officers and formally integrated into the Army.
In 1958, for the first time, women doctors were granted regular commission in the Army Medical Corps on the same terms as men, and finally, the doors to women officers in non-combat arms and services were opened in 1992, with short service commission being allowed in all three services. The first such batch entered service in 1993. The next big step for women in the armed forces came when the first batch of women Agniveers were enrolled for the rank and file, initially with the Corps of Military Police.
At present, except for the Infantry and Armoured Corps, women officers now form part of almost all arms and services in the Indian Army, including combat arms and combat support arms like the Artillery and Army Aviation.
In the Air Force, they have been inducted into all branches, including fighter pilots, and in the Navy, they serve on board warships at sea as well as fighter pilots. Women officers are now holding command positions and, in the medical stream, have reached the highest possible level of Lieutenant General and equivalent.
As the role of women in the Indian Armed Forces continues to evolve and expand, making headway into newer domains and taking up greater responsibilities, we take a look at a few little-known trailblazers –
Wing Commander Vijayalakshmi Ramanan was the first woman officer to receive a regular commission in the Indian Army as a doctor in 1995, opening the doors for women officers in the Army. She joined the Army Medical Corps when it was male-dominated, and served through three wars.
Captain CR Leena of the Army Medical Corps is the first woman officer to be conferred a gallantry award. Commissioned in 1989, she was awarded the Sena Medal (Gallantry) in 1995 for her courage while serving as a Regimental Medical Officer in Kashmir. Under fire in combat conditions, she provided medical care to soldiers and local civilians, including women, risking her life in difficult terrain.
Captain Ruchi Sharma became the first operational woman paratrooper. Commissioned in 1996 into the Army Ordnance Corps, she volunteered for parachute training and became the first woman to qualify and serve operationally in a parachute role after completing rigorous training in 1997. She served in operational areas like Ladakh and was attached to the Parachute Regiment.
Flight Lieutenants Gunjan Saxena & Sreevidya Rajan – During the 1999 Kargil conflict, they became the IAF’s first helicopter pilots to fly in a combat zone. They flew Cheetah helicopters for reconnaissance and casualty evacuation at high altitude, navigating tough terrain and dodging enemy fire.
Squadron Leader Avani Chaturvedi,among the first three women IAF fighter pilots, became the first woman fighter pilot to take part in an aerial wargame abroad. A Su-30MKI pilot, she was part of the IAF contingent that participated in a 16-day mega air combat exercise with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) at the Japanese airbase of Hyakuri.
Sub Lieutenant Aastha Poonia made history in 2025 by becoming the first woman pilot to join the fighter stream of the Naval Aviation. She was awarded the prestigious Wings of Gold during the Second Basic Hawk Conversion Course graduation at INS Dega, Visakhapatnam, in 2025.
Captain Shiva Chauhan of the Corps of Engineers became the first woman Army officer to be deployed operationally at Siachen Glacier — the world’s highest battlefield, in January 2023. She was posted to the Kumar Post at an altitude of 15,600 feet after completing induction training at the Siachen Battle School, braving sub-zero temperatures, avalanche and extreme isolation.
Wing Commander Anjali Singh became the first Indian woman military diplomat to be posted to an overseas mission. Her appointment as Deputy Air Attaché at the Embassy of India in Russia in 2019 marked a historic milestone, highlighting the growing leadership of women in the armed forces.
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth, among the first three women fighter pilots, was the first daytime Indian woman fighter pilot to qualify to undertake combat missions. She was also the first woman fighter pilot to take part in the Republic Day Parade in 2021 and also participated in the Republic Day 2024 flypast.
Captain Hansja Sharma made history by becoming the first woman Rudra helicopter pilot in the Indian Army. She led the No. 251 Army Aviation Squadron on the Republic Day flypast in 2026.
Colonel Ponung Doming from the Corps of Engineers is the first woman officer to command the world’s highest Border Roads Task Force located above 15,000 feet in the Northern sector, with multiple other firsts to her credit in over 20 years of service.
Captain Abhilasha Barak, a Rudra Advanced Light Helicopter pilot in the Army Aviation Corps, became the first woman combat aviator in the Indian Army in 2022. After clearing the tough Army Aviation course, she joined frontline units, proving women can handle armed helicopter missions in combat zones.
Major Deeksha C. Mududevan from the Army Medical Corps became the first woman to be awarded the coveted Balidan Badge, which identifies members of the elite Special Forces, in 2023. She had qualified for induction into the Parachute Regiment as a Regimental Medical Officer on her third attempt. She has also won the best in physical training award during the Military Observer Basic Course.
Women officers have also created history in the field of sports and adventure, including circumnavigation of the globe and microlite flying. They have also participated with distinction in various United Nations peacekeeping missions.
The Tribune