Breaking glass ceiling: Navy selects two officers for deployment on warships
Sub Lieutenant Kumudini Tyagi and Sub Lieutenant Riti Singh have graduated as Observers (airborne tacticians) in the helicopter stream and would be deployed on warships as part of the crew, they said.
The Indian Navy is yet to deploy women officers on board warships unlike navies from countries like the US, the UK, Australia, Germany and France.
"In yet another first in the history of Indian naval aviation, two women officers have been selected to join as 'observers' in the helicopter stream. They would in effect be the first set of women airborne combatants who would be operating from warships," the Indian Navy said in a statement.
As observers, the two officers will be part of the teams managing various combat and tactical aspects of the operations of naval helicopters from frontline warships when the choppers are deployed on a range of missions.
Tyagi and Singh were part of a group of 17 officers including three officers of the Indian Coast Guard who were awarded 'Wings' on graduating as 'Observers' at a ceremony held at INS Garuda in Kochi on Monday, the Navy said.
Several senior Navy officials, on the condition of anonymity, called the selection of the two officers for the new role as very significant, saying it is a precursor to having women commanding officers for frontline warships.
The Navy deploys women staffers in logistics and medical wings on-board fleet tankers, but it will be for the first time they will be onboard destroyers and frigates.
Last year, the Navy had appointed two women as pilots for its Dornier aircraft fleet. The crew of P-8I maritime patrol aircraft of the Navy too has women officers. Both Dornier and P8I aircraft operate from shore-based facilities.
Sources said Sub Lieutenant Tyagi and Sub Lieutenant Singh would be part of the technical crew for the MH-60 Romeo Seahawk maritime helicopters of the Navy.
India is buying 24 MH-60 Romeo helicopters from US aerospace major Lockheed Martin for the Indian Navy under a USD 2.6-billion deal.
Designed for hunting submarines as well as knocking out ships and conducting search-and-rescue operations at sea, the Lockheed Martin-built helicopters would replace India's aging fleet of British-made Sea King helicopters
Officials said the Navy is going to allow women officers in a variety of roles onboard its warships and suitable facilities are being made available in the newly-constructed ships for them.
The ceremony in Kochi was presided by Rear Admiral Antony George, Chief Staff Officer (Training) who presented the awards and coveted wings to the graduating officers.
The chief guest also awarded the Instructor Badge to six other officers (five from the Indian Navy including a woman and another from Indian Coast Guard), who had successfully graduated as Qualified Navigation Instructors (QNI).
Rear Admiral Antony highlighted the fact that it was a landmark occasion wherein for the first time women are going to be trained in helicopter operations which would ultimately pave the way for the deployment of women in frontline warships of the Indian Navy.
The officers of the 91st Regular course and 22nd SSC Observer course were trained in air navigation, flying procedures, tactics employed in air warfare and anti-submarine warfare.
These officers would serve on-board Maritime Reconnaissance and Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft of the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard, the statement said.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
