Women's Day 2023: 'Love for the uniform...' Meet the inspirational Captain Shiva Chouhan

"Motivation behind joining Indian Army is the love for the uniform along with the ethos and traditions of Indian armed forces," says Capt Shiva Chouhan, who made headlines when she became the first woman officer to be posted at an altitude of over 15000 feet in the Siachen Glacier

Anish Kumar

First Published Mar 8, 2023, 8:58 AM IST

Indian Army officer Captain Shiva Chouhan made headlines a couple of months ago when she became the first woman officer to be posted at the Kumar post, located at an altitude of over 15,000 feet in Siachen Glacier.

Siachen Glacier is the highest battlefield across the globe. Asianet News spoke to Captain Shiva Chouhan on the sidelines of International Women's Day on March 8.

On being asked about the factors that drove her to join the force, Captain Shiva Chouhan said: "The motivation behind joining the Indian Army is the love for the uniform along with the ethos and traditions of the Indian Armed Forces. And moreover, the respect that the Indian Army commands in the society."

Womens Day 2023 'Love for the uniform...' Meet the inspirational Captain Shiva Chouhan

Captain Shiva Chouhan was commissioned into the force in May 2021 and took up the challenge of leading the Sura Soi Engineer Regiment on the battlefield in one of the harshest climates. She hails from Rajasthan’s Udaipur and is a civil engineering graduate from NJR Institute of Technology, Udaipur.

On challenges that she has faced during her over-two-month stint at an altitude of over 15,000 feet, she said: "The challenges which we faced here was the extreme and severe climatic conditions, the sub-zero temperatures. There is an endless ocean of crevices, mountain heights, high-speed wind, and isolation to keep ourselves and the troops under our command fit. And be mentally tough."

Weeks ago, the Indian Army gave several women officers command roles across the theatre. She appreciated the move and said it would motivate more women to join the force.

Womens Day 2023 'Love for the uniform...' Meet the inspirational Captain Shiva Chouhan

"I believe that nowadays, the women officers are getting adequate opportunities, and they are employed equally across the custom of the defence forces at par with their male counterparts. So it is really very nice initiative that they will be given the commanding roles. It will surely motivate many women to join the Indian Army," Captain Shiva Chouhan said.

She also has some suggestions for the girls who want to become an officer in the Indian Army.

"I want to tell them that nowadays, women are given adequate opportunities, and they're also employed equally at par with their male counterparts. The women aspiring to join the Army should first make up their mind and understand that the job demands physical and mental robustness unlike other jobs in civilian life," she said.

"The requirements of the Army are totally different. They should be mentally prepared to serve in the difficult areas and frequently move between the stations because of the nature of the job."

Also Read: Women's Day 2023: Major Abhilasha Barak opens up on being Army's 1st woman Combat Aviator; shares life lessons

Last Updated Mar 8, 2023, 8:58 AM IST