Vijayalakshmi Ramanan Passes Away: Know All About IAF's First Woman Commissioned Officer & Vishisht Seva Medal Recipient

Vijayalakshmi Ramanan aged 96, was suffering from old age ailments and died peacefully on Sunday at her daughter's home in Bengaluru.

Image: Youtube/Rajya Sabha TV

Wing Commander (Retd) Dr Vijayalakshmi Ramanan, the first woman commissioned officer of the Indian Air Force, widely known as the first woman to wear saree as uniform, passed away on Sunday, October 18. Her son-in-law S L V Narayan said that Ramanan aged 96, was suffering from old age ailments and died peacefully on Sunday at her daughter's home in Bengaluru. Vijayalakshmi Ramanan was born in February 1924 and married to K V Ramanan, who was also an Indian Air Force officer. A recipient of Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM), Ramanan completed her MBBS and was later commissioned in the Army Medical Corps on August 22, 1955. Prior to this, she completed her MD in obstetrics and gynaecology. Ramanan was later moved to the Indian Air Force and was promoted to the rank of Wing Commander in August 1972. Ramanan was hailed for serving as a gynecologist at various Air Force Hospitals across the country, including at the IAF hospitals in Bengaluru, Kanpur and Secunderabad. Beside this, She was also responsible for working with the medical board, taking classes for nursing officers in obstetrics and gynaecology. In several situations, Ramanan even attended the troops wounded during wars. She had retired in February, 1979. As reported by The Print, Ramanan's son-in-law also told that she outshined the male officers when she decided to wear a saree as uniform and yet work just the way her male colleagues did. Its surprising to know that Ramanan held a great interest in music as well. Trained in Carnatic music, she worked as an artist with the All India Radio during her young years. Ramanan is survived by a daughter and a son. Her ashes were immersed by her family on Tuesday in the Cauvery river near Srirangapatna.