In its first, five women officers promoted to colonel rank in Indian Army

New Delhi: Five women officers in Indian Army were promoted to Colonel (Time Scale) rank. A Selection Board of the Indian Army has granted the officers as they completed 26 years of reckonable service.

The five women officers selected for Colonel Time Scale rank are Lt Col Sangeeta Sardana from the Corps of Signals, Lt Col Sonia Anand and Lt Col Navneet Duggal from the Corps of EME and Lt Col Reenu Khanna and Lt Col Ritcha Sagar from the Corps of Engineers.

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This was the first-time that women officers serving with Corps of Signals, Corps of Electronic and Mechanical Engineers and Corps of Engineers were approved to the Colonel rank. Previously, promotion to the rank was applicable for women officers in Army Medical Corps, Judge Advocate General and Army Education Corps only.

‘The widening of promotion avenues to more branches of the Indian Army is a sign of increasing career opportunities for women officers. Combined with the decision to grant permanent commission to women officers from a majority of branches of the Indian Army, this step defines the Indian Army’s approach towards a gender-neutral Army’, said a statement issued by Ministry of Defence.