It’s winter already and all we want to do these holidays is feel cosy in our warm blankets with a cup of hot chocolate in our hands tuning our favourite television show. While some of us have to stand in ATM queues and listen to all the BS stuff comparing the line with soldiers standing at the border, some of us really know the sacrifice, that it is real. Because;
A military is a place where men and women are treated equally – literally, since 1992 when women started inducting into the forces. While there is no need for women in Indian Military, there is no need for men either. What Indian military need are fine soldiers and finest of officers to lead them.
All of them work together shoulder to shoulder and arm-in-arm but what we miss out is the significant role played by the women to keep India’s military up and running. Which brings us to look at some mind-blowing women and their achievements in the military:
Let’s start with the best. Captain Divya Ajith Kumar is the first generation soldier with no army blood in her family and history in her past. She joined NCC which inspired her to join Indian Army and participated in NCC women contingent in Rajpath and later joined OTA where she became the first woman in the history of the Indian Army to receive the coveted ‘Sword of Honour’.
Jawan Shanti Tigga cleared all her tests to join the 969 Railway Engineer Regiment of Territorial Army in 2011 where she earned the highest position of a marksman in firing. She was honored by former president Pratibha Patil for being the first female jawan of our country.
A third-generation Army officer, Lt Ganeve Lalji was commissioned in the Corps of Military Intelligence in 2011 and has recorded several achievements during here Young Officers’ course in Pune. Lieutenant Ganeve Lalji made history by becoming the first woman to be appointed as a key aide to an Army Commander as part of Indian Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh’s efforts to provide more avenues to women in the force.
Punita Arora is the first woman in India to don the second highest rank i.e. Lieutenant General of Indian Armed Forces and the first Vice-admiral of Indian Navy. Yes, both at a time!
Prior to becoming a Vice Admiral, she became Commandant of Armed Forces Medical College in 2004 thereafter becoming the first woman officer to command the medical college. She moved from the Army to the Navy as the Armed Forces Medical Services has a common pool which allows officers to migrate from one service to another depending on the requirement.
Not only that, but she has been awarded 15 medals in her 36 years of career in Indian Armed Forces which include PVSM, VSM, and SM.
Without bothering too much about her personal safety Mitali Madhumita, then on a United Nations’ mission in Kabul, thrust herself headlong to save precious lives buried under the debris when the Indian embassy in Kabul suffered a terror attack on February 26, 2011. For her valiant act, Mitali was conferred with the Sena Medal, the very first awarded to a woman army officer who went beyond the call of duty and helped save lives.
Padmavathy Bandopadhyay was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) for her conduct during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. In her career, she has been the first woman to become a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Society of India and the first Indian woman to have conducted scientific research at the North Pole. She is also the first woman officer to have completed the Defence Service Staff College course in 1978. She was the Director General Medical Services (Air) at the Air Headquarters. In 2002, she became the first woman Air Marshal of the Indian Air Force and the second woman in the Indian armed forces to be promoted to a three-star rank (after Indian Army’s Lt. General Punita Arora).
During the Kargil war, Flight Officer Gunjan Saxena made history by becoming the first woman IAF officer to fly in a combat zone. She was later honored with the Shurya Vir Award. She guided her helicopter, dodging artillery shells through the steep valleys of Kargil as a Flying Officer in the Indian Air Force. She is the first ever woman lady pilot of Indian Air Force who proved her mettle in Operation Vijay and is in IAF history books as the Kargil girl. She had flown her Cheetah helicopter in extremely hostile terrain to retrieve injured soldiers in the Kargil War.
After her 2 tenures in IAF since 2002, Sqn Ldr Teji Uppal was selected for conversion training on IL-76, a multi-engine heavy lift strategic airlift aircraft. This was the first instance of women officers being chosen for multi-engine aircraft in Indian Air Force and proving her mettle, she cleared landings at Leh and became the first woman officer to land a military multi-engine aircraft at the high altitude airfield located at an elevation of 15,400 feet about mean sea level (MSL) just a few kilometers away from the Line of Actual Control in Leh.
Sqn Ldr Nidhi Handa is the first woman pilot in IAF to reach the B-Green category which allows her to captain an aircraft in all the roles in every sector of the country and all that in a short career span of just six years. She hails from Himachal Pradesh.
It was in October 2009 that Choudhary, an IAF officer who had just joined the squadron in Agra, chanced upon a broadcast calling for volunteers for IAF’s women expedition to the Everest. She volunteered for the extreme adventure activity to become the first woman from the Indian Air Force (IAF) to summit the Mt. Everest – and the first woman from Rajasthan to achieve this feat.
Wing Commander Puja Thakur came into limelight when she became the first woman to lead the Guard of Honour for the US President Barack Obama, one of the world’s most powerful men in the recent times.
Read about more such inspiring women in the military here.
Read 9 Things Women Should Know Before Joining the Indian Military
SSB is a very simple interviewing technique for those, who express their self genuinely and is complex and unpredictable for those, who try to exaggerate their personality. It is commonly seen that the chances of recommendation are higher in the fresher’s group as compared to the repeaters because the freshers have less counterfeited traits in their personality.
The same reason is for the high recommendation rate of NDA candidates as compared to the recommendations in graduate and post graduate entries. Below are some of the misconceptions that usually candidates have about leadership and confidence.
1. Raising Voice – Most of the candidates have a misconception in their mind that raising their voice shows their confidence level. Yes, it does, but not in every situation. Voice is not just a single factor that judges your confidence level. Some candidates turn aggressive and start shouting in the G.D. that becomes a negative point. Keep voice controlled and make sure you effectively deliver your thoughts to your subordinates.
2. Lying Fluently – Many repeaters try to bluff the SSB panel by framing a plan to hide their shortcomings and failures. Remember, failures are a spot until you work hard and wash them out. The more you try to lie in SSB, the more you will get trapped in your own plan. It will show your non-capability of handling situations as a leader. Rather confidently accept your failures and speak out your efforts and steps taken by you to overcome them.
3. Standing Ahead Of The Group – During ground tasks, it is normally seen that the candidates try to stand erect in front of their group, showing their high confidence level and their leadership quality. But just standing in front of the group is not a trait of having a good confidence level.
The ultimate aim of the candidate should be to take the group to the next side of the problem, irrespective of the standing position. Standing in front, but not helping the group is a waste, rather working in the middle of the group and helping the group to move ahead shows your confidence level of how you interact with subordinates and put up your idea in front of them and executing them effectively.
4. Writing Gallant Stories – Some candidates try to impress the psychologist by cramping the pre – framed stories, having the bulk of gallant activities and hero showing diverse acts and later managing to make a happy ending. Psychology is all about your reaction toward a particular stimulus in the form of a picture, SRT or WAT. You have to write as per your personality and be what you are.
The best thing about the winners is that they introspect themselves and overcome their shortcomings. But don’t amalgamate it with using non-preferred means. SSB is all about personality having Officer Like Qualities. The first step toward reshaping your personality is to get the difference between the misconception and actual requirements.
So the above points will help the SSB aspirants and will take them toward their aim. The case is deeply sensitive for the repeaters and correct introspection has to be followed in order to eradicate the shortcoming and inculcate the required traits.
An Officer’s Perspective, Misconceptions Regarding The Indian Air Force
Well I am feeling very happy to share my SSB experience with all of you. First of all, I have done my B.tech from NIT Jalandhar in 2015. Since then, I was striving to fulfill my dream of joining Defence Forces.
My ssb journey started in march 2015, when I first appeared for ssb through CDSE at Allahabad, got conference out. Subsequently, underwent 4 ssb’s of army, navy and airforce before getting recommendation in 6th attempt for Indian Air Force. I scored 154 marks in afcat and 52 in EKT ( cutoff was 52 also)
It was the fresh morning of 25th April 2016, total of 175 candidates reported at Dehradun MCO. We all then taken to 1Afsb.
Before the starting of screening round, our docs get verified and then after having breakfast, our phase 1 testing started which consisted of 2 parts
1) OIR testing which consists of simple verbal , non verbal questions. (practice well to score good rank)
2) PPDT- a very hazy picture was shown and all of us made story as per our own perception. After 15-20 mins, we then went to a room for discussion, everyone narrated his story and participated in discussion as much as they can.
(Advice- Speak confidently and dont try to dominate by speaking again and again in discussion (2-3 times is enough).
Finally, out of 175, 74 got screened in. Rest, routed back on the same day.
Next day, our Psych test started at 2.30 Pm because of PABT test in the morning.
I wrote down stories with the first thought that came to my mind (because this time, I didn’t practice even a single story or Wat or SRT, just gave my natural responses ( I’ve not done practice just bcz I was aware with the process and tired of cramming stories n words again n again)
I attempted all stories, almost all words and 45 SRT’s and a very genuine SD.
Next day was free, as I didn’t have any testing scheduled for tht day.
Then next day , my interview was scheduled which went for almost 40-45 mins in which examiner asked me about my studies, family, friends, hobbies, favourite teacher, favourite subjects. During interview, he asked me, why I want to join Defence forces. I gave him the answer that he probably had not received from any candidate, thats why he raised his eyebrows with a continuous smile on his face and started writing something on his page continuously for 15-20 seconds. My interview went very well as I was happy with my performance( still was not expecting of recommendation at all)
For the next two days, my Gto testing was scheduled, which includes the confrence day as well.
At first in Gto testing, GD was conducted in which we discussed on two topics ( sorry didnt remember topics), after that Group Planning exercise.
In PGT, I did not get enough chances to perform, but whatever ideas I gave were enough good.
(as soon as your workable ideas reached to the ears n eyes of GTO, it will get counted as your advantage).
In the remaining tasks, I performed as per my best.
On last day i.e Confrence day, my few gto tasks were pending. As soon as our gto completed, we sent to our room to change over the outfits.
Finally, we made sit in Alaknanda hall from where candidates sent to confrence room. Every candidate was very tensed at that time, whereas I was playing Tabla on table (bcz I was not expecting anything).
Ultimately, it was my turn to go inside. I waited for 10-15 mins outside the room, then bell rang and I went inside. Senior Interviewer welcomed me( the same person conducted my PI , when I visited Afsb earlier), then my conference went for 10 mins during which they asked me about my jobs which I left before even joining them. Then again question got asked, WHY DEFENCE? I gave the same answer that I had given in PI, at that time even, my answer brought a pleasant smile at the faces of all assesors sitting in the room.
Now, it was the result time, 4 out of 74 got recommended and luckily I was one of them.
The moment of getting recommendation was like as if I got everything that I longly desire and strive for.
After that , I got date for medicals and reported medically fit.
Recently, with the almighty’s grace, I successfully get into merit list to join IAF in technical branch.
A big thanks to all who remained beside me during my time of continuous failure. If anyone need any help text me, I am sharing my Facebook profile id below, whenever I will be free, I try to answer all.
IF YOU WILL FOCUS ON RESULTS, CHANGE WILL NEVER COME
SO FOCUS ON CHANGE, RESULTS WILL DEFINITELY COME
Be change oriented not result oriented.
JAI HIND
Thanks to all
Navneet Singh
[email protected]
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The pace of induction of new arms and weapons in the Armed Force seems is accelerating day by day. Every passing day comes with a news of trail of indigenous weapon or plans of purchasing new weapons from the foreign sources. The modernisation and weapons enhancement is actually required to maintain the balance of power comparing it with the neighbouring nations.
The recent successful flight test of Smart Anti Airfield Weapon has raised the power of IAF. It also increased the confidence of the Armed Forces over the top arms-producing agency, DRDO. R. Christopher, secretary of DRDO congratulated IAF and DRDO for the successful test flight of the weapon. Some key points about SAAW are as follows:-
In another crucial incident, the failure of the test flight of Nirbhaya cruise missile has taken the future of the Nirbhaya project in danger. As per the sources, the government is considering over the closure of the project after most of its trails went failed. The missile was aimed to be manufactured for empowering the Indian Army. But certain reasons have taken the project under scan.
On the other side, India is seen inclined toward the Kalibr missile of Russia, which is supported by high precision equipment and can destroy ground targets. The missile has a range of 2500 kms and the navy compatible version has also seen as a good option. The induction of India in the MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime) has led to India’s interest in the missile.
Non-membership of MTCR was the reason behind the limited range of Brahmos cruise missile (290 kms), which is jointly produced by India and Russia. As India has got the membership of MTCR and Russia is already a member of it, both the nations are involved in producing an enhanced version of Brahmos missile with supersonic features, which can attain a speed of Mach 5.
Apart from this, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has taken a step ahead toward the purchasing of another C-17 transport aircraft from U.S. India already has 10 such aircrafts in its force. DAC has also reached a deal for acquiring 6 Maritime Reconnaissance Aircrafts for Coast Guard of India along with some other weapons and equipments for the IAF and Army.
The test flight of such weapons is an achievement for the arms manufacturers of India. Many developed nations are still devoid of such technologies, which can target steel reinforced structures. Agni V, Kalibr, and many others have become new targets for safer airspace.
They will bring the national security and deterrence to a new level. An upcoming project of Brahmos is a new ambitious project for India. Officials are eyeing the missile as it will be a next generation weapon for the nation.
https://www.ssbcrack.com/2016/12/agni-5-tested-indian-defence.html
https://www.ssbcrack.com/2015/11/brahmos-the-worlds-fastest-cruise-missile-in-operation.html
The government last week gave the go-ahead to the Indian Air Force to purchase one more C-17 “Globemaster” heavy transport aircraft. With this, the IAF will now have 11 C-17 Globemasters in active service. This was one the four proposals cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), two days before Christmas.
The C-17 Globemaster is in operation with No. 81 Squadron IAF – “The Skylords” based at Air Force Station Hindon.
The IAF is purchasing just one additional C-17 aircraft because that was the only lone aircraft available with Boeing.
Boeing began shutting down the assembly line due to lack of further orders. In fact, 10 additional aircraft were manufactured and offered to all existing customers. A warning was sounded to India for an immediate decision. However, a delay in decision making in the Defence Ministry meant that the IAF missed out on the opportunity.
The IAF seems to have taken too long to push through the original proposal to buy three new C-17 aircraft. The American manufacturer had already pledged four of the last five C-17s in its production line to Qatar.
“We will now buy whatever we can and are planning to buy the single aircraft left with the US. In this regard, we are planning to move our proposal in a key Defence Ministry meeting planned to be held this month,” a senior IAF source said.
The annual average load airlifted by C-17 ranged between 13 tonnes and 18 tonnes per sortie, against the aircraft’s payload capacity of 70 tonnes.
The aircraft would help the Air Force to carry out several major operations including the recent airlift of new currency notes after the demonetisation drive by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Apart from the natural disasters, the aircraft also provides the capability to directly airlift tanks and infantry combat vehicles from the plains to high mountainous areas along with 300 fully-geared troops for operations.
The price of the aircraft is expected to be more than ₹2,500 crore per piece.
Along with the purchase of one more C-17 aircraft, the government also gave the nod to the Coast Guard’s proposal to acquire six multi-mission maritime aircraft for ₹5,500 crore along with the procurement of 1,500 indigenously designed and developed Nuclear Biological and Chemical warfare protection system for the infantry combat vehicle for ₹1,265 crore.
Another proposal of the army and the IAF for the procurement of 55 low-level light weight radars was also cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council for ₹419 crore.
During the convocation ceremony of the 131st course at the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla on 28 November, a new trophy for cadets of BTech course was unveiled.
As of now, only the Naval cadets are eligible for the BTech course, which was started in June 2016 and the new trophy will be granted to the cadet standing first on the merit in the BTech stream. Plans are also being made to extend the BTech course to Army and Air Force cadets from January 2017 onwards.
The new trophy will be awarded to the topper of the four-year engineering degree course after he passes out of the NDA and completes training at the respective pre-commission training academy. The first trophy will be awarded to a Naval cadet.
Since engineering is a 4-year course, cadets who are able to successfully finish a three-year academic plus military training at the NDA will get their degrees in the following year later after the completion of school training at the respective officers’ academy from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Pune.
It is required to meet the four-year requirement of an engineering course as prescribed by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
Earlier, 274 cadets, including 95 from science stream, 128 from software engineering and 51 from sociology streams, including 4 foreign cadets, were awarded degrees.
NDA is an exceptional tri-services institute where cadets experience a three-year training before continuing to finishing schools for Army, Navy and Air Force for another year of training and eventually taking charge as officers in the Indian military.
Here is how the new NDA BTech trophy looks like:
NSG, the special force of India, is always named first in counter terrorist operations. NSG was also in the news a few days ago, as it is going to march on the Republic Day, 2017 for the first time. This will be a milestone in the history of the Defence Forces.
NSG has successfully conducted many operations and still capable enough to deter any kind of situation. The soldiers are trained to the limit that makes them unbreakable. Several soldiers apply for getting into the group, but fail to join due to hard training and qualifying phase. Some key facts about NSG that will raise the moral of aspirants are as follows.
National Security Guard is the first priority of the government in the case of acute internal operations. NSG has given their best in the 26/11 incident which is still named in remarkable operations. The soldiers are trained to complete the task at any cost and in any condition or circumstances. Their sacrifice keeps the citizens safe and secure and these above facts will make every Indian proud of the group.
For the First Time, NSG To March in the 2017 Republic Day Parade
How many times have you came across a military family, met them, shared a light moment and didn’t even realize they’re from a totally different state? Apart from being nomadic, military families are very adaptable. Here are a few things that will make you admire military families ever more.
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In a shocking turn of actions post demonetization, many people compared being standing in bank line to being standing on the border. Finally, they got what they needed – participation of army in the demonetization cause with them. Around 400 army personnel have been deployed for security at the currency printing presses in Salboni in West Bengal and Dewas in Madhya Pradesh.
The sudden surge in manpower requirement in printing and allied operations has forced the government to call in the military which is the nation’s instrument of “last resort” in all emergency situations.
The military has been ordered to ferry money to every part of the country. The soldiers have also been ordered to make and count cash.
The soldiers were deployed in wake of security consideration around the press that prints the new currency notes. The soldiers are from the Eastern Command and the Central Command.
The Dewas Security Press at MP is printing new ₹500 currency notes whereas new ₹2,000 & ₹100 notes are being printed in Salboni of WB.
Apart from this, a team of 120 Air Warriors have been deployed at the currency printing press in Salboni.
The government has also deployed Air Force’s transport aircraft C-17 Globemaster and C-130 J Hercules to transport currency from the printing presses across the country.
The planes continue to make sorties carrying new currency completing 100 sorties between 19 November to 19 December. It has been termed as ‘The Great Rupee Airlift’ comparing the difficulty with the Berlin Airlift of supplies during 1948-1949.
The deployment of the military – rather than the police or paramilitary forces – is indicative of the sensitivity of the issues post demonetisation which the paramilitary cannot handle.
The negative impact of this order has been that the soldiers are being looked upon as “coolies” today, according to one officer. “We do physical labour, but to fight against enemies of the country. Now the government has ordered us to do this,” he said.
Is it good to use the military’s respected manpower to the extent that it has to perform a labour work, which incidentally, the paramilitary isn’t capable of? What are your views on this?
