International women’s day 2021 – Indian Woman in leadership and war field “Gunjan Saxena “
A day to recognize female achievements and call to action encouraging everyone to stand up for women’s rights and gender equality, 8th march the international women’s day is being celebrated across the globe. Why is this day so important? Throughout history women have had to fight for the freedom and rights being enjoyed today.
How did such changes occur? Someone didn’t snap their fingers and got freedom. Changes occurred gradually through the tireless effort of brave women and men fighting together for what is right. On this special day it is apt to remember an idol who flew fearlessly and scripted history. Flight Lieutenant Gunjan Saxena, who ventured into the combat zone during the Kargil war.
A woman fighter pilot and the first female officer to enter a combat zone. She was born in a family of army men, the 5 year old Gunjan saw the inside of a cockpit for the first time with a cousin who was an Indian Airlines Pilot. Back then, women were not allowed in the armed forces. From then on a little girl at the age of 5 dreamed of becoming a pilot in the Indian Air Force. She was born in 1975. Both her father and brother were in the army. Gunjan completed her schooling from Lucknow, after that she started to take lessons at Safdarjung Flying Club. In 1994 after a month she joined the Indian Air Force. She was among those who joined the ‘first female pilot batch’ of the Indian Air Force, where only 25 females were chosen and the training took place in Udhampur, Jammu Kashmir. Gunjan always thought something different. She wanted to serve the country in a better way and was waiting for such an opportunity to forge. She pursued her dream in 1999. She was chosen by Indian army for the operational task in the Kargil war.
25 year old Saxena flew a Cheetah helicopter into the combat zone during the Kargil war. At such a young age, she fulfilled the newly bestowed responsibility with exemplary courage. She did reconnaissance and casualty evacuation, away from other things.
“I think it is the ultimate feeling that you can ever have as a helicopter pilot. That was one of our main roles there – casualty evacuation. I would say it’s a very satisfying feeling when you save a life because that is what you’re there for.”
Her air survey greatly helped in locating the geographical positions of the engaging camp. It was a challenging task to fly a Cheetah at those heights, with the enemy sitting on the top, where Pakistani infiltration fired bullets and missiles at every Indian helicopter or aircraft. The daughter of Indian Army officer, she even had such courage.
“The machine will not know whether a man is flying it or woman is flying it”
During the war, one army missile just missed her aircraft and exploded behind it. Even this couldn’t deter the fearless Saxena’s and she continued her duties with utmost passion and determination. She became the ray of hope in the darkness in the Kargil war in 1999. At a time when the conditions were so adverse, even at that time, Gunjan Saxena did not give up the courage and accomplished her work and she fulfilled her dreams of big bravery and all the conservative barriers in the society. She was honored with Shaurya Veer and was addressed as the Kargil Girl. She continued to serve in the defence forces- a career she started in 1995. Before being inducted into the Indian Air Force she passed three levels of training at the IAF academy. Flight Lieutenant Gunjan Saxena’s journey was extraordinary. It’s time to salute this exemplary courage and grit of Flight Lieutenant Gunjan Saxena. It’s stories like theirs that will inspire generations to come.
Her biopic Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, was premiered on Netflix which received many warm reviews. On her life story making as a movie she said
“I wasn’t really convinced as to why someone would want to do a movie on my life. You have lived your life so you don’t find exciting. It’s exciting only when someone else looks at it”
This International women’s Day should break down barriers to women’s future. So that they can access factors that might otherwise be out of reach like education, health care or even the capability to advocate their lives. This in turn will lay the foundation for them to construct better lives, stronger communities and brighter futures.
Happy International women’s day 2021 to all my readers!!!
