Women in the Indian Armed Forces
[7] Noor Inayat Khan, who was of Indian descent, served in the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during World War II.
Khan was betrayed and captured before being subsequently executed at the Dachau concentration camp, and was posthumously awarded the George Cross for her service.
[9] In 2021, the Indian Armed Forces' National Defence Academy entrance exam was opened up to female cadets.
Under the Army Act of 1950, women were ineligible for regular commissions except in "such corps, departments or branches which the central government may specify by way of notifications.
[14] On 27 August 1976, Gertrude Alice Ram, the military nursing service Matron-in-Chief, became the first woman officer in the Indian Army to attain the rank of Major General, and the first female officer in the Indian Armed Forces to attain two-star rank.
[20] On 19 January 2007, the United Nations first all female peacekeeping force made up of 105 Indian policewomen was deployed to Liberia.
Including Priya Jhingan and her, the first batch of women officers of the Indian Army was commissioned in March 1993.
The court also said that permanent commission should be available to all women, regardless of years of service, and that this order must be implemented in 3 months.
[14] Ganeve Lalji, Corps of Military intelligence, was the first woman to be an Aide de camp to an Army Commander (Lieutenant General).
The award was received by Lieutenant Shourgrakpam Vijaya Devi, who is Northeast India's first female officer on behalf of team.
[42] In September 2020, two women officers - Sub Lieutenants Kumudini Tyagi and Riti Singh - were deployed onboard warships for the first time.
Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin is the third woman to hold three-star rank in the Indian Navy.
[15] In 2012, Nivedita Singh (Flight Lieutenant) from Rajasthan, became the first woman from the Indian Air Force to summit the Mount Everest.
[54] Wing Commander Shaliza Dhami became the first woman officer to be given permanent commission with the Indian Air Force.
[65][66] Women in Indian Coast Guard, Assam Rifles and Special Frontier Force.
[67] In January 2017, Indian Coast Guard became the first force to deploy four female officers, assistant commandants Anuradha Shukla, Sneha Kathayat, Shirin Chandran and Vasundhara Chouksey, in combat roles on board KV Kuber hovercraft ship patrolling the Indian maritime zone bordering Pakistan and Bangladesh.
In 2018 an IPS Officer Archana Ramasundram of 1980 Batch became the First Woman to become the Director General of Police of a Paramilitary Force as DG, Sashastra Seema Bal, she retired after serving for 37 years.
In March 2016, govt allowed direct-entry women officers in all five Central Armed Police Forces, namely Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), allow direct entry to women in junior rank via direct recruitment and also to women officer via Union Public Service Commission in supervisory combat roles.
[75] Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) allows women officers in supervisory combat roles since a long time via UPSC route.
[75] Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) allows women officers in supervisory combat roles since a long time via UPSC route.
[75] Women also serve in the National Security Guard (NSG), Special Protection Group (SPG), Railway Protection Force (RPF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
