Army considers induction of women cadres in Territorial Army battalions, say sources
New Delhi (PTI): The Army has considered inducting women cadres into the Territorial Army battalions as a pilot project, with their recruitment to be initially limited to a few battalions, sources said on Sunday.
The move is aimed at gradually opening up more opportunities for women in the force.
The Territorial Army, in its current form, came into being with the enactment of the Territorial Army Act on August 18, 1948. It was formally inaugurated by the first Indian Governor General, C Rajagopalachari, on October 9, 1949.
According to sources, the Army has considered the induction of women cadres into Territorial Army battalions as a pilot project. Their recruitment, initially, will be limited to a few battalions, and may increase subsequently in other battalions based on initial feedback, they added.
The government has been emphasising the essence of 'Nari Shakti' in the armed forces.
In a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha in March 2022, then Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt had said the combat employment philosophy of women in the armed forces is a continuously evolving process and regularly reviewed by them.
"At present, women are being commissioned in the Indian Army into 10 arms and services, viz., Corps of Engineers, Corps of Signals, Army Air Defence, Army Service Corps, Army Ordnance Corps, Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, Army Aviation Corps, Intelligence Corps, Judge Advocate General Branch and Army Education Corps in addition to the Armed Forces Medical Services," he had said.
The Territorial Army was raised on the concept of being a 'citizen soldier's army'. Besides augmenting the organisational requirements, the Territorial Army also provides an opportunity to able-bodied volunteer citizens of India, especially those who are overage for enrollment in the regular army, to serve the nation in uniform.
Presently, the Territorial Army has a strength of approximately 50,000 personnel comprising 65 Departmental TA units such as Railway, IOC, ONGC, and Non-Departmental TA units of Infantry Battalion (TA) including Home and Hearth Battalions, Ecological Battalion (TA) affiliated to various Infantry Regiments and Engineer Regiment (TA) for maintenance of Line of Control fencing, according to its website.
The Territorial Army units were actively involved in 1962, 1965 and 1971 operations. The "Terriers" had also taken part in Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka, Operation Rakshak in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, Operation Rhino and Operation Bajrang in the northeast in the most active manner.
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RCB beat MI by 18 runs after batters fire
Mumbai (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli blasted half-centuries as the defending champions beat Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in an Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.
Salt (78 off 36 balls) and Kohli (50 off 38 balls) stitched together a 120-run stand for the opening wicket before Patidar scored a rapid 53 off just 20 balls as RCB posted 240 for 4.
In response, Mumbai Indians were restricted to 222 for 5, with RCB spinner Suyash Sharma (2/47) putting the skids on the home side with a double strike in the eighth over, from which they could not recover.
Sherfane Rutherford top-scored for MI with an unbeaten 71 off 31 balls.
While opener Rohit Sharma appeared to be struggling with a hamstring issue and had to retire hurt on 19, his partner Ryan Rickelton made 37, while Suryakumar Yadav (33) and Hardik Pandya (40) were the other contributors for MI.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 240 for 4 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 78, Virat Kohli 50, Rajat Patidar 53, Tim David 35 not out).
Mumbai Indians: 222 for 5 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 71 not out, Ryan Rickelton 37, Hardik Pandya 40; Suyash Sharma 2/47).
