They are true epitome of valour; they wear the Olive green with great pride. This Women’s Day, meet these brave-hearts who serve the Army with great enthusiasm

Mona

Valour and honour these women wear on their sleeves, literally. With their indomitable spirit, grit and training, the women officers of Indian Army are the true representatives of nari shakti — that, by the way, was Oxford dictionary’s Hindi word of the year in 2018!

This Women’s Day we meet these brave-hearts who don the olive green with pride.

Childhood dream:Capt Priti Sharma

Capt Priti Sharma was fascinated by the olive green and the brass on the shoulders right from her childhood. A fitness freak, with an ambition to serve the country, she did not look beyond the Army, ever. “Joining the Force, I could fly in the sky, literally,” says the officer, who had her basic para training.  Be the fitness that she asserts is up to the next level since she joined Army or pursuing mountaineering that’s her passion, she next dreams of climbing the Everest.

“While serving the motherland, this is one field that lets you be. An officer is an officer, no man-woman distinction here, and courage, valour and strength are the words that we live by”. 

Proud soul Lt Col Shubhra Sambyal

When barely seven, little Shubhra was intrigued by her father’s friend who would show up at their house every now and then in uniform, and motivate her and her brother about being part of the prestigious Indian Army. “Now that I don olive greens just like him, I know how prestigious it is,” says Lt Col Shubhra Sambyal. A true believer of nari shakti, she insists, “Women are  tougher biologically for they are  the ones who give birth; also mentally they are way more resilient.”

“It is about time women support each other through different walks of life to emerge stronger in the times to come.”

Dream come true:Major Euthica

From Patna, Major Euthica’s inspiration to don the greens came from the serial Aarohan. “Seeing Pallavi Joshi as a cadet fuelled my dreams and the course of my life was set.” Schooling in Patna, college in Pune, it was Army next. “Women are already empowered, they don’t need any extra push. All women need today is the freedom to make decisions and a platform to showcase their abilities. Be it any field, they would prove their mettle.”

“Know your strength and don’t stop till you have achieved your aim.”

True strength:Capt Bhavna Syal

Army running in her blood, Capt Bhavna Syal is third-generation in the Indian Armed Forces. Part of the Republic Day Parade, Capt Bhavna insists, “I couldn’t think of any other profession that gives so much pride and dignity.” At the Officers Training Academy, Chennai, she credits her success to the lady officers who led them on. “Our commanding officer was a very motivating lady, who gave us a heads-up on every challenge that came our way.”

“Gender is a social construct and no challenge is insurmountable. Give your 100 per cent, and anything that you can think, you can achieve.”