GIRLS  ARE IN THE ARMY NOW……….

  Circa 1992, girls were inducted into various branches of the services as officers cadets for a short commission into non-combat roles,  a breakthrough. There was vigour in the air, highly charged and motivated atmosphere made me ask my classmates to get me a form too. But upon hearing about the level of fitness required to pass the exam, I changed my mind. Destiny had a different way of getting me affiliated with the services as I joined the tribe as an army wife. 

Shakti, a manifestation of female energy, defines their strength. There is a sense of victory with the many windows open to women to be part of the services in our country, a win towards equality in the workforce. Permanent commission, entry as soldiers in the Military Police and opening of the doors to the National Defence Academy as cadets is a long drawn-out path towards gender parity in the military in India. They draw their strength from history from Jhansi ki Rani and Capt Laxmi Sehgal, thus proving the strength of the so-called weaker sex. They are now fighter pilots, combat officers and in command positions apart from holding technical appointments. 

The steadfast effort to boost the representation paid off when Shanan Dhaka, daughter of Naib Subedar topped the first women’s batch for NDA exams inspiring more of her tribe. The recent case of Priya Dhaka, daughter of a jawan, who cleared the SSB for NDA shows the sheer determination of the girl coming from a small village in Jhunjhunu from Rajasthan. There is nothing stopping you if you make up your mind to do anything in life. Girl cadets are getting trained in academics and outdoor training is conducted with minimum changes in the existing curriculum of the NDA. The two schools of thought remain, one professing that women officers are on a par with male officers and the other against combat roles as they feel that the women are not physically and psychologically fit to perform the job. 

Fighter pilot Lt Ananya Sharma, daughter of fighter pilot Air Commodore Sanjay Sharma, took part in the Republic Day parade this year is another example of how girls can achieve anything they desire in life. The Father-daughter duo created history when they flew in the same formation of Hawk-132 aircraft in Bidar in 2022 thus cementing their unique place in the aviation history of the country. Colonel Geeta Rana of the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers has become the first woman officer to take over command of an independent field workshop in the Eastern Ladakh sector marking the thirty years of commissioned women officers in the forces. 

These high-flying women do include the war widows, Veer Naris, who along with fighting their own battle of loss and pain, decide to join the services themselves. For Veer Nari, the decision to join the services while waking up to the new reality of being both the father and mother to her children, is an act of bravery which has no equal. Swati Mahadik, wife of late Colonel Santosh Mahadik who was martyred in J and K, is one such brave heart who resolved to be part of the army while dealing with her trauma. She showed exemplary courage and strength in the face of loss and reinforced the thought that there is no stopping when one makes up one’s mind to do anything. On commissioning, calming her storm with a peaceful smile, Swati Mahadik stood proudly donning the olive green uniform ready to take her journey as an army officer while her small children and mother smiled in admiration at the grit and determination of this young lady. Her journey was not an easy one. She took up her husband’s dream and made it her own. She is following in his footsteps and making him proud of her. 

Women joining the Core of Military police as soldiers in the Indian Army on their own strong willpower to perform as equals to their male counterparts. I came across one such incredible woman who was managing the traffic at the Army Literature Festival in Delhi. A smart young girl in army uniform complete with a white belt and red beret effortlessly guided the traffic with the confidence of a seasoned soldier. I stopped, congratulated her on being part of this OG fraternity and shook her hand, she gave a confident smile and went on doing her duty. The confident smiling face stayed with me and I am hopeful to see more young girls getting an opportunity to be part of the forces. 

                     BEAT THE BLUES AWAY

The foggy days, biting cold and low temperatures with dwindling sunlight force us to stay indoors. One feels more down than up, resulting in loneliness affecting not only people with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) but others’ moods too. As the darkness permeates, days get shorter, and the cold weather pushes us indoors. When one is feeling the chill here in the plains, imagine the inhospitable climate, biting cold and temperatures dipping below minus forty degrees at the Siachen Glacier, where sudden avalanches, gusty winds and crevasses with a potential threat to life, where there are chances of frostbites and hypothermia looms large. The soldiers posted there not only fight the adversary and weather but also fight loneliness when they stay away from civilisation for months. One wonders how they cope. 

The chilly weather can make us slip into winter doldrums, exacerbated in modern digitised times. There is an innate desire to connect, share experiences, and be part of each other’s life as humans are social beings. But the increasingly complex world is also making one feel disconnected. The high-paced life leaves little time to spend with loved ones. We are lonely in a world of advanced communication. Staying isolated became a norm during the pandemic, and we realised the effects of loneliness more than ever, wherein interactions were voices over the phone. 

The breakdown of community networks is increasing the level. Sadly, even though the solutions are simple, the complexity of modern life makes it arduous to work on solutions. The automated lives surrounded by gadgets result in anxiety and depression when the easier path is being in the company of people. Even when you initiate a conversation with a stranger, instant happiness engulfs you. 

Loneliness not only triggers diseases like heart disease, dementia and depression but is also the cause of varied addictions as lonely people try to find relief from lack of companionship or the feeling of being left out through addiction. They try to fill the gap of emptiness and end up getting their health affected by it. Stark warning by health experts equating loneliness to smoking 15 cigarettes a day is scary and urgent enough to take serious action. It is no wonder that Japan and the UK have ministers who look into the problems of loneliness to fight the epidemic afflicting people worldwide. The ‘chatty bench’ or the talking cafe, where people are encouraged to interact with strangers, is the accepted way to fight loneliness. The human nature is such that we thrive in spending time with each other. We need to address the loneliness problem seriously to stop its spread.

Connecting with nature alleviates loneliness as the wilderness connects us with the broader world, and it is a healer that uplifts the cloud of loneliness away from us. Reconnecting with the ancestral land, community gardens and play spaces for children establish a deep connection and eliminate desolation. While I was grieving over the loss of my father, just driving through our ancestral place in Punjab lifted my spirits and unconsciously, I was humming the song, Country Roads Take Me Home to the Place I Belong………. By John Denver. 

Being grateful for all the blessings in one’s life helps you see the good in one’s life. Instead of brooding and waiting for the spring to cheer you up, enjoy the winter warmth. The healthy comfort food is the ideal antidote to the cold weather. Interacting with friends and family can boost anyone’s mood. Basking in the winter sunlight whenever possible helps you keep your spirits up. Artificial light might help some beat the blues away. A clean and fresh-smelling home will make you feel refreshed even when there is fog outside, and stepping out will make you catch a chill. 

Feeling forlorn is conquered by such tiny steps of reaching out to others as we wait for the sunshine to return to reduce the dreariness of the cold and foggy days. 

Pictures from Google