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Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently paid a visit to Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield an average altitude of 20,000 feet. Watch a short clip!
Nirmala Sitharaman took charge as Defence Minister on September 3, 2017. She became the second female Defence Minister after Indira Gandhi who had served as the Defence Minister in 1975 and again in 1980-82.
Situated in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen Base Camp is the highest, coldest and toughest training ground across the globe. The Indian Army captured it in 1984 through Operation Meghdoot.
The average snowfall on this 76.4 km long glacier is 1000cm (35 ft) and the temperature dips to – 60 c during winters. Every day and night our soldiers here have to deal not only with adversaries, but also with extreme weather conditions.
Earlier in 2014 the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi had visited Siachen on Diwali. This time the newly elected Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman decided to meet these brave hearts on the occasion of Dusshera.
“Standing just below the Martyr’s Memorial, I feel completely small and at the same time I feel honoured and humbled that even though I come here as Raksha Mantri there are no words to speak about the kind of sacrifice our men have made. This is a very treacherous terrain either in summer or in winter when it is also snow covered. Even now in the various outposts all around the glacier our men are guarding us. There is a thick blanket of unpredictable surface of snow, so they are whether summer or winter keeping themselves alert in a terrain where you can’t even breathe easily,” said the Defence Minister in an interview to DD News.
Feminists have relished the fact that decades after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, a woman has been appointed as the Defence Minister of the country. In practice, the important thing to be kept in mind is whether it would lead to any betterment of the defence mechanism of the country.
The soldiers are the cornerstone of the four Armed Forces of India – Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. Their living conditions in the base camps should not be compromised. There should be no dearth in the supply of food grains, or modern equipments to fight back the enemy.
The role of women in the armed forces for a long time, was limited to the medical profession i.e. as doctors and nurses. Currently, women in the non-medical cadre are appointed as Short Service Commissioned (SSC) officers. More recruitment of women in the armed forces of the nation is essential to pave the way for a truly gender neutral society.
Only time will tell us how successful Nirmala Sitharaman turns out to be as the Defence Minister of India. But enjoy watching this video at Siachen!
I'm a Political Science student from St.Xavier's College, Kolkata. Biryani and F.R.I.E.N.D.S are the best possible ways to uplift my mood. A dreamer at night,a read more...
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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