All-women parade at Nagaland Assam Rifles centre as 868 recruits clear training

Eight hundred and sixty eight new women recruits passed out at the Assam Rifles Centre and School at Shokhuvi in Nagaland on Wednesday. According to an official statement, a parade was held to mark the completion of 44 weeks of “gruelling training in the battle craft, weapon handling, jungle lane shooting and other specialisation in counter-insurgency operations”. This time, the passing out parade (POP) was unique as it had only female recruits and the parade was led by Major Sita Shelke. The recruits, which will now be called riflewomen, will join their respective Units in all frontline duties.

The POP on Wednesday was attended by Arunachal Pradesh’s governor Brigadier (retd) Dr B D Mishra in the presence of Lt Gen PC Nair, AVSM, YSM, Director General Assam Rifles and other senior officers, the statement added. Addressing the event, governor Mishra congratulated the recruits and their parents as he highlighted the rich history of Assam Rifles and its diversified role.

Mishra called on the recruits to serve the country with all sincerity besides keeping pace with technology.

The Arunachal Pradesh governor also said that the job of female soldiers is more challenging than their male counterparts as they have to shoulder the responsibility of their family apart from performing their duties, the statement added.

Assam Rifles is India’s oldest paramilitary force. Since 2015, it had started inducting riflewomen in all frontline duties.

These women have not only proven their mettle in the North East region but also Jammu and Kashmir and United Nations’ missions. As of date, Assam Rifles has 36 Riflewomen deployed in the Kashmir Valley and more than 34 have served in the UN Mission at Golan Heights, Israel (UNDOF) and Congo (MONUSCO).