Respecting the efforts taken by women and sharing equal rights with them is the tale of Womens day with a struggle of those ladies who got out on the streets in 1911 demanding justice for all the ladies.
This year with a theme of Gender Equality TLN had a chance to interview one of the most prominent personalities and grab few words of wisdom for the ladies. Vibha Dutta, Director of AIIMS Nagpur guided team TLN with her tales from armed forces and her experience as Women Major General.
When TLN asked her about equal importance of women in military, Dutta informed, “Military for long remained a male dominated profession as more brawn was needed than brains. But there are many examples where brains were used forgetting strategic benefits. Almost all scientific advances in each field are needed for getting military superiority. Now more technologies and newer mode of mobility do give chance for women to contribute meaningfully in war. Thus in all modern armies women are getting due equal importance in specific zones.”
She further added, “Women have long history of contributing in an exemplary way in medical, nursing and technical arms like signals, engineers, air defence and many more. I am sure that gradually even in combat arms too women will contribute equally.
Military being a field of power, does it bother males or question strength of women?
Definitely Indian Army does give importance to that leadership at all levels. All women are fully capable of getting this respect. In my career of over 35 years I didn’t face any problem where female leadership was questioned.
Dutta had a broader view when she told the difference between Gender Equality and Women Empowerment
Equal opportunity for both genders is gender equality. The male from birth was prepared for this through better education, diet, getting responsibility and society did spend on males to make them worthy for the jobs. Gradually in all modern society opinion was formed that women do have important role top lay if society spends time, money and sweat in them. The society effort to make female worthy of many of responsibilities is “Women Empowerment”. Be it better education, better psychological and physical nourishment, giving responsibilities to them equal in life is a step towards women empowerment. I must acknowledge that women empowerment making Gender equality in almost each field is a very positive goal.
