International Women’s Day: Giving healing touch to Army personnel

“Serving soldiers in the sensitive North-Eastern region of the country is a challenging task, which brings along an added responsibility,” said Deepika Patial, who was recently promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Deepika is more than a commissioned officer in Medical Corps of Army. She is an inspiration for many young girls of the district who dream to don olive green uniform. Deepika is presently posted at Army Hospital in Shilong. The news of her promotion brought cheer not only to her village Ujhan near Bhota in Hamirpur, but to the entire state as well.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had congratulated Deepika and added that a woman Army officer of his home district had added pride to the state.

Deepika Patial cracked entrance exam in 2006 to join Armed Forces Medical College at Pune as a nursing trainee. She added that her parents were the only guiding and encouraging force that inspired her to fulfil her dreams. Deepika did her matriculation from Government High School, Bhota, and completed senior secondary level from Government Senior Secondary School, Didiwin Tikkar, in the district.

Her farther Shiv Kumar Kaundal joined the state Excise and Taxation Department after retirement from Army. Shiv Kumar said it was Deepika’s childhood dream to become an Army officer. Her mother Somlata is a homemaker.

Deepika was commissioned as lieutenant in the Medical Corps after completing her training in 2010 and got her first posting at Army Horpital, Jabalpur. She has served at various medical institutions of the Army, including Jaipur, Rajauri and Hyderabad.

Deepika’s husband Anil Kumar is working with Deloitte, a British multinational professional services network based in Scotland. They have two daughters Vertika and Vrushika.