The third Indian Naval Academy batch had got 14 lady cadets. One among them was, Sandhya Suri, who was preparing for her IPS exams back then when she received the joining instructions in 1994. As her fate might have it, she rose to become one from the handful of women officers to be posted on board a warship. Here is her story as per her interview at The Better India.
She is the only girl in her family to serve in the Armed Forces.
The Inspiration:
Sandhya Suri wanted to be in the Armed Forces even before the induction of women came into force. She wanted to do something worthy and was inspired by the uniform. “It’s a uniform thing I suppose”, she says.
Preparing for IPS simultaneously, she was in college studying Masters in English, playing state level basketball and also teaching English at the Army Public School in Kaluchak, Jammu.
She dropped her IPS preparations very happily when she received a call came from the Navy and the Air Force. Though she was attending her Air Force SSB when the call to report to the Naval Academy came, she had also applied for the Army.
First Day After Commissioning:
She was commissioned on 18 August 1994 and have served for seven years. She trained at the Naval Academy in Goa first, followed by CLABS in Kochi, Hamla School of Management and Logistics in Mumbai, NBCD Basic Training at Lonavala and then a Ship’s attachment on now de-commissioned aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. All of this post-commission training lasted eleven months before she got posted to the Eastern Command.
Challenges Being A Lady Officer:
“The biggest challenge for me was to insist I was an “Officer” and not a “Lady Officer” as we were referred to”, is what she recalls. Her greatest challenge in the Navy, as what she remember, was to fight to be considered a uniformed military personnel and not a woman.
Being on A Warship:
Sandhya Suri is among the fortunate few who had the privilege of serving on board a warship. She was posted on a Logistics Warship that lends out support to the Fleet in terms of logistics replenishment at sea.
“That particular posting was my best one in the Navy. It was challenging. I knew my responsibilities and was accountable. It is not easy for the Navy to post a woman on board a warship. It has been a male domain for too long”, she responds.
One Deciding To Quit Navy:
Earlier, Sandhya had requested for long course specialisation. That was shot down. She aspired to be an Instructor, a certified Diver, requested for a transfer to SSB Board or Naval Intel. At that point, when she was asked if she wanted to extend when these requests were shot down, she didn’t see a point in staying. “I did not want to push files all the time. I wanted to do more than just that”, she said.
It was a decision to be taken and was taken as she goes on to add that “my decision had everything to do with the road ahead. I miss the uniform. I miss that a lot but I am grateful for the opportunity. It was tough to decide to leave. I don’t regret things, though. There is no time for regret here. You have one life. You live it to the hilt and make the time worth it.”
Her Advice to Women Aspiring to Join the Indian Navy:
“If you are looking at it as a career and a job, please don’t join and undermine our initial efforts of utter pride in serving the nation. Join because the pride of having the privilege swells your heart. Join if you can live by the oath you take. Join if there is more to you than just the thought of glamour in uniform. Join only if you can put your country before yourself, your Ship (read Unit) before yourself, your team before yourself and lead by example. Else, please don’t tarnish it is pristine colours. Shaano Varun is a lifetime thing. If you believe that, by all means, go and shine.”
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