Do Sexism And Misogyny Exist In Armed Forces? Here’s What Officers Have To Say

Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, the recently released film on Netflix, has been in the eye of a storm. The makers of he movie, inspired by the life of former woman Indian Air Force (IAF) officer and helicopter pilot, Gunjan Saxena, have been accused of showing the air force in a negative light.

Several retired armed force personnel whom Outlook spoke to say the movie is factually incorrect and its wrongful portrayal of sexism and misogyny in the air force is only meant to garner TRPs. Excerpts:

Capt Sajita Nair (Retd), Former Army Officer and Writer

I was commissioned in the army in 1994 and was posted in a unit which had never seen women officers. Although the unit was welcoming, I did face a few challenges given that the army was until then a traditionally male-dominated workplace. More than the infrastructural limitations, which were resolved by raising the issue with concerned senior officers, the hurdles came in the form of patriarchal mindset of some individuals.

The armed forces are a microcosm of the society we live in and hence reflect its values and ethos. Majority of the soldiers are recruited from rural hinterlands where women play domestic roles. Hence, many of them found it difficult to accept women as their military commanders. There were times when I was forced to reproach subordinates for not conforming to the rigid rank structure followed in the army. Among officers, there was a mix of progressive thinkers and those who came with preconceived notions.

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At the training ground, the firing range, and for important office appointments, I had to work hard than others to prove myself. As a company commander—an officer responsible for the discipline and welfare of the soldiers—it wasn’t easy to garner the respect of men who had never seen a woman at that position. I have lived in tents at the desert exercise location, been a convoy commander, inspected guard posts in remote areas at nights and done all that was required of me as an officer. Some ambiguity did exist initially as the policies for women officers were being formulated. But even during my short tenure of five years, I was witness to the gradual transition occurring within the organisation as it evolved to accommodate women and sensitise men. The challenges I faced in the early nineties are to be seen solely from the perspective of a woman officer trying to find her place in a male-dominated army. In no way may it be misconstrued as anything against the hallowed organisation, to which I owe my identity.

Commander Abhijit Sinha (Rtd), Indian Naval Air Arm

Indian armed forces do not distinguish its members on the basis of caste, creed, religion and gender. The only binding thread is fauji. Once a fauji, always a fauji. I have served in the Indian Navy’s Air Arm for more than 23 years and been a part of the initial indoctrination team, instructor for gender sensitisation for commanding officers who were to induct the first batch of lady officers. I also have had the privilege of having a few of the initial batches of lady officer sail on our ship. I never felt the need to treat them differently. To my understanding, I always felt the women wanted that male and female officers be treated equally. And I can assure you that they were treated equally and with due respect.

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As far as the movie Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl is concerned, I feel the filmmakers should have done a better job at research. If what is depicted in the film is with the consent of the lady officer, then I have a question for her: why didn’t she report the matter while in service? There is watertight method of making such disclosures. Armed forces have put in place a channel of reporting even when the commanding officer of the unit misbehaves. In case the woman officer did not apprise the production team of the wrong projection of the system for two penny-worth of fame, then it is not only sad for the woman herself but also for other women officers who will find themselves in awkward position in front of their male colleagues.

Squadron Leader Deepa Nailwal

As a first-batch women air force officer, I certainly can see many areas where it is factually incorrect. Even people who are not part of the air force feel a lot of things have been exaggerated beyond belief. For instance, the SSB (Services Selection Board) routine, where they call potential candidates, where the students go through various assessments for five days, that's a very powerful experience. But in the movie, it is completely diluted. So when you see the film, you feel a little cheated. I know exactly how it is done because I have been an officer who was posted in SSB for three years and was a part of the selection procedure. In fact, when we announced the short-listed candidates, we used to take a lot of precautions not to make anyone feel small. I have selected batches after batches; the whole process is so beautiful.

Indian Air Force has been shown in a poor light. Projecting the armed force people in such a manner was extremely irresponsible. My worry is people who are not in services will get a very wrong impression of defence officers. We understand that the need was to showcase the achievements of a woman officer, but in the process, they have painted the male officers completely black. 

Lt. Sandhya Suri (Rtd), 3rd Batch of Women Officers, Navy

It’s terribly sad to see how spiteful the tone is of those judging us. The ethos of the armed forces is sadly under scrutiny all the time. Everyone has become an opinion journalist of sorts, where they keep judging the armed forces. This is extremely unfair.

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Everyone’s personal and professional experience is different in the fauj and it would be foolish to go by what is shown in the films. It is not reality. My professional experience in the Navy helped me to evolve into the person that I am today. And for someone who came in the early stage of the armed forces, the expectations were high. I was treated like a fauji. My officers, mentors and colleagues were always supportive. I am in touch with some of my mentors even now. I feel it is very easy to tarnish the image of armed forces. It is difficult for civilians to understand what it takes to become a soldier. You take an oath to serve the country and it takes everything from you.

Commander AJL Fernandes (Retd.), Indian Navy

I was privileged to have served in the Indian Armed Forces for 26 years. For 20 years, I was a commissioned officer in the Indian Navy. Till date, these account for the best years of my life. While speaking to fellow retired officers, we fondly reminisce about relationships, friendships, life lessons, and most importantly, the concept of ‘izzat’ or honour which was inculcated in us right from our formative years in the fauj. It was indeed a privilege to have served in an organisation where it really didn’t matter what your take home salary was. What mattered was the pride in upholding the ‘izzat’ of the unit in which you served, and the loyalty commanded, and not demanded, in the eyes of one’s juniors.

The ethos of the Indian armed forces imbibed in us the idea of respect, regard, and chivalry towards women. The gentlemanly code of conduct was to stand up whenever a lady entered the space where you were present. Greetings and pleasantries would always be exchanged with courteousness and mark of respect irrespective of the age and seniority of the woman officer.

Twenty-six years is a substantial period of time, and though I did get to see transformations in the armed forces along my journey, the ethos and value system remained unchanged. I carried these traits with me well after leaving the armed forces, and I can say with surety that they have served me well.

It disheartens me to see how this well established and time-tested regard for women in the armed forces could be discounted just to sensationalise and fictionalise a plot to garner more TRPs. The armed forces are a bastion of chivalry in this country, and it hurts me to see a most wonderful and well-intentioned institution being trivialised for selfish and short-lived gains.