In a historic moment for the Indian Army, Colonel Shuchita Shekhar has become the first woman officer of the Army Service Corps to assume command of a Communication Zone Mechanical Transport Battalion. The battalion, responsible for the maintenance of the supply chain of the fully operational Northern Command, plays a vital role in army logistics, including animal transportation. The Northern Command took to Twitter to congratulate Colonel Shekhar on her appointment.
The Northern Command tweeted, "Dhruva Command congratulates Col Shuchita Shekhar, first Women Officer of Army Service Corps to assume command of a Communication Zone Mechanical Transport Battalion responsible for the maintenance of the Supply Chain of the fully operational Northern Command."
This milestone marks a significant step forward in the Indian Army's efforts to promote gender equality and inclusivity, even in senior positions. Earlier this year, five women officers successfully completed their training at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai and joined the Regiment of Artillery. They will receive equal opportunities and challenges as their male counterparts and will be commissioned into various types of units.
According to sources, the five women officers who joined the Regiment of Artillery are Lt Mehak Saini, Lt Sakshi Dubey, Lt Aditi Yadav, and Lt Pious Mudgil, as reported by PTI.
This progress in gender integration within the Indian Armed Forces extends beyond the Army. Flight Lieutenant Shivangi Singh, the first woman pilot of the Indian Air Force to fly the Rafale fighter jet, is currently participating in the multinational exercise 'Orion' in France. This exercise marks the first time India has deployed Rafale jets outside the country. Flight Lieutenant Singh, who joined the IAF in 2017 as part of the second batch of women fighter pilots, previously flew the MiG-21 Bison.