Our nation is progressing with great speed and panache. We are becoming more open- minded in our approach towards society and culture, and it shows. Majority of India has a patriarchal setup, wherein the males hold greater power and significance in families. Nowadays however, the nation is working hard to achieve gender equality and better opportunities for the ‘second sex’- the females.
The Indian Army too, is striving to create a brighter future for its lady officers and for future aspirants. Women have proven their mettle in the past few decades by being valuable and glorious assets to the esteemed organization. The struggle for permanent commission for women in the Army has also borne fruit recently; one can see that the attitude towards women in this organization is changing for the better.
General Bikram Singh held the post of Chief of Army Staff from 1st June 2012 to 31st July 2014. General Singh was keen on working for opportunities for serving women officers in the force. His efforts were directed towards provision of superior avenues to them. As part of this critical goal, steps were taken to conduct a rigorous and systematic testing process wherein women officers would be assessed pertaining to their motivation and aspirations. It was done to achieve a more comprehensive view of their potential and whether/how combat roles can be provided to them. This was done as a comparative study of Indian female Army officers with respect to their counterparts in the US and some other countries. The impact this provision of increased roles for the women officers would have on their male counterparts (and their duties) was also given due thought.
For this purpose, about 350 lady officers were interviewed and assessed on their potential and capacity for challenges and hardships. It was a rigorous selection process. The committee found Lieutenant*Ganeve Lalji a worthy candidate. This brilliant young officer is a third- generation officer, who was commissioned into the Military Intelligence (MI) Corps in 2011. An English post-graduate by education, she is quite an accomplished officer. She has recorded various achievements in her Young Officers’ (YOs) course in Pune too. Judging by the competitive levels she triumphed, we can only assume what mettle this inspiring young lady possesses.
In July 2013, she was assigned the role of an ADC (aide- de- camps, French for camp/field assistance) to Lieutenant General Rajan Bakshi, who took over the post of Army Commander for Central Command in Lucknow. With this the Lieutenant*made history, for no lady officer had been awarded this duty before her in the history of the Indian Army. ADCs are serving officers who personally assist top- ranking officers of the forces, including the Army Chief and Army Commanders.
Lieutenant*Lalji’s grandfather, Major General (Retd.) Lalji, was delighted when his grand daughter kept the family tradition alive by becoming an officer in the Army; and one can only imagine the pride her father (Colonel S.S. Lalji) would have experienced as his daughter marched on as a commissioned officer at OTA Chennai. In fact, her father is confident that their family will have a fourth generation of officers in the family too! Her grandfather also wishes to witness that proud moment. It is so endearing to see their love and dedication towards their organization. Colonel Lalji proudly calls the officers in his family ‘the first countrymen of the soil’. With such secular and patriotic sentiments running in her blood, Lieutenant* Lalji is sure to soar high. We hope her achievements are only a glimpse of her future accomplishments. Way to go, Lieutenant*!
*Lieutenant Lalji held her rank ‘Lieutenant’ way back in 2011. She would now be holding the rank of Captain/Major.
