Women in the Armed Forces: Part 5 The Indian Armed Forces

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Despite the historical disruptions and distortions caused by rulers and invaders belonging to other civilizations, the Indian civilisation can boast of not only equality between two sexes but also much beyond as far as the emancipation of women is concerned. Women in India have in fact been conferred superior status. In this country, Sita prefixes Ram and Radha prefixes Krishna. The beautiful and benevolent Goddess Durga in her fury could not be appeased even by Gods. Women in India have taken-up arms in times of grave necessity. The Rani of Jhansi and Ahilya Bai are just a few examples.

The contribution of the women in freedom struggle was extraordinary. In fact, it served as a means for rejuvenation of Indian women who had been compelled to take a back seat due to some unpalatable forces of history. Having confidence in ones own civilization, demands that women in emerging India must display their civilisational ingenuity in determining their future role in nation building.

No other region in the world has produced as many heads of state prime ministers as South Asia. It is essentially the impact of Indian civilisation that Sri Lanka threw up the first women Prime Minister in the World i.e. Sirimavo Bhandarniake, who was elected in 1960 and dominated the country’s politics for nearly two decades. Seven years later, India had its own woman Prime Minister Mrs Indira Gandhi. Had it not been for the Indian influence, Islamic Pakistan and Bangladesh could never have produced women prime ministers. Mrs Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan, and Begam Sheikh Hasina and later Begam Zia (the current prime minister) in Bangladesh became prime ministers in face of stiff opposition from the fundamentalists and religious clergy. Till today, the USA has not had a woman as the Head of State, UK with its long history of democracy has had only one Prime Minister.

In terms of physical prowess women may be inferior to men. But then physical strength is an inferior attribute when compared to higher forms of energy levels and strengths that women possess. Notice even an old woman in any environment, and she appears to be totally in command of the forces of life and nature. Mao had aptly said, “Women hold half the sky”.
Women preserve and propagate human life on this earth and are, therefore, an antithesis to the necessary but abnormal profession of soldiering. An American General has remarked, “Women nurture and preserve life, and I cannot reconcile to their killing anybody”.

This is not to say that women must not be trained in the art of soldering – they must. Their training can be called upon in desperate circumstances especially when the nation’s survival or dignity is at stake. Moreover, women with military training can be more bold, emancipated and confident – and confident mothers can make a confident nation. Napoleon had said, “Give me good mothers and I will give you a good nation”.

The much superior women must not think of aping men in dress and ways. They must take pride in their natural qualities and attributes. To that extent, women in uniform (police and the army) may insist on a modified pattern of uniform, which respects their anatomy. The old bush-shirt (tops), which were earlier in vogue both in the army as also police could be more appropriate than the present ones.

Women must not compromise their superiority in fields, which call for attributes inferior to what they possess. The combat arms of the armed forces are one such field. They must also realise that a misplaced clamour for equality can effectively be negated by the counter demand of say common or mixed gender tennis tournaments, Olympics etc.