Indian Navy selects first set of women officers to operate helicopters on warships

The Indian Navy has selected two lady officers to join the helicopter stream as 'Observers'. The women officers will be operating from warships for the first time in the history of Indian Naval Aviation. This move is being hailed because earlier, lady officers in the Navy were restricted to the fixed-wing aircraft.

Sub Lieutenant (SLt) Kumudini Tyagi and SLt Riti Singh graduated as observers on September 21 at INS Garuda, Kochi. INS Garuda is an Indian Naval air station of the Southern Naval Command based in Kochi and is used as an operational base as well as a major naval aviation training centre. Observers are the airborne tacticians who fly onboard helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft of the Indian Navy and undertake tasks onboard Maritime Patrol aircraft and state-of-the-art helicopter for Naval operations. 

Indian Navy Women Officers to join helicopter stream and operate from warships

For the first time, two Indian Navy Women Officers have been selected to join warships as airborne combatants. The two women officers, SLt Kumudini Tyagi and SLt Riti Singh graduated from Southern Naval Command air station, INS Garuda on September 21 as a part of a batch of 17 Indian Navy officers, which included 4 women officer, and 3 Indian Coast Guard officers. All the 4 women officers including the observers of helicopter stream are of Short Service Commission batch. 

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Graduation Ceremony at INS Garuda

A batch of 17 Indian Navy officers and 3 officers of Indian Coast Guard graduated from INS Garuda on September 21 in a ceremony presided by Rear Admiral Antony George NM, VSM, Chief Staff Officer (Training). The graduating officers were presented with awards as well as wings. Five Indian Navy Officers, including a lady officer, and one Indian Coast Guard officer was awarded the 'Instructor Badge' as they managed to successfully graduate as 'Qualified Navigation Instructors (QNI)'.

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During the ceremony at INS Garuda, Chief Guest, Rear Admiral Antony George pointed out it was a landmark occasion as the first-ever set of women officers who would be trained to in helicopter operations while complementing the officers of the batch. He further added that this would 'pave way for the deployment of women in frontline warships of Indian Navy' according to the official press release. 

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List of Awards from the 91st Regular Observer Course & 22nd SSC Observer Course 

• Uttar Pradesh Trophy for ‘First in the Overall Order of Merit’ - Lt Hitesh Singh
• Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command Trophy for ‘Best in Flying’ - Lt Anuj Kumar
• Sub Lt RV Kunte memorial Book Prize for ‘Best in Ground Subjects’ - Lt Hitesh Singh
• Book Prize for ‘Best in Overall Order of Merit’ -  SLt Kreeshma R (22nd SSC Observer Course)

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The graduating officers were from two different courses namely - 91st Regular Observer Course and 22nd SSC Observer Course. The officers of these courses have been trained in air navigation, flying procedures, tactics employed in air warfare, anti-submarine warfare as well as the exploitation of airborne avionic systems as per the press release. They will be serving onboard the Maritime Reconnaissance and Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft of the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard.

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