Only woman officer in entire brigade guarding china front

By Mukesh Kaushik
Nathu La (Indo-China border)
 Sunday, Aug 19 2012 IST
source: Indian Express


In one of the most difficult terrains of India's military front facing a formidable and unfriendly neighbour like China, Captain Swati Singh is the only woman officer in the entire brigade who has become eyes and ears for hundreds of troops providing them real time critical information. Captain Swati Singh is posted in 63 Brigade of the Indian Army which is deployed in eastern sector in Sikkim near Nathu La pass overlooking China. Her duty in the Brigade is to keep alive lines of communications for the troops posted in her area.

She is the one who donned the military uniform after refusing a very lucrative career of a multinational software company and accepted the challenge of serving in the Indian Army.

"I was being offered a post of software engineer by Infosys, but in the meanwhile, I cleared the exam of the services and without giving any second thought I opted for the latter" she said proudly, in an interview to UNI.

Captain Swati Singh is the first generation military officer in her family with her younger sister also an engineer but she has opted a private job in Larsen and Toubro. Captain Swati hails from Lucknow, a city of Nawabs from where she did her engineering in Babu Banarsi Das Institute of Technology. Her father, who works for the Central Water Board, inspired her to join the Indian Army, she said.

"I joined army two years ago and I was commissioned in 17th Div in Sikkim. For the past one year, I am in this brigade and despite being the only woman officer I never felt alone or awkward here," She said. Her Brigade Headquarter is in Thegu near Nathu La and it stakes at least 5 hours of bumpy motor ride to reach out to Gangtok. "Life is not easy in military but that is what I was fully aware of when I decided to join the army," she said adding that it was her own decision to take up the challenge and serve the nation.

Captain Swati said, "Had I joined the Infosys, I may be serving in bustling and lively city like Bangalore but that would certainly not have given me the same kind of satisfaction I draw here while performing my duty in this inhospitable terrain." Wishing that more and more girls should opt for joining Indian army she said, "Terrains or training may be difficult but our organisation is certainly very caring and friendly for the women officers." UNI MK BDP 1212 NNNN

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