Navy selects 2 women officers for deployment on warships

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 21

In a historic first, the Indian Navy has selected two women officers as helicopter crew for deployment on frontline warships.

The two have been selected to join as “observers” (airborne tacticians) in the helicopter stream and will be the first set of women airborne combatants to operate from warships.

Earlier, entry of women was restricted to the fixed wing aircraft that took off and landed ashore.

The officers are Sub-Lieutenant Kumudini Tyagi and Sub-Lieutenant Riti Singh. They are part of a group of 17 officers of the Indian Navy, three officers of the Indian Coast Guard, who were awarded “wings” on graduating as “observers”. The ceremony was held at the INS Garuda, Kochi, the Ministry of Defence said.

Rear Admiral Antony George NM, VSM, Chief Staff Officer (Training), complemented the graduating officers and highlighted how for the first time, women are going to be trained in helicopter operations, which will ultimately pave the way for the deployment of women in frontline warships of Indian Navy.