On Tuesday, Captain Dr. Geetika Koul from the Snow Leopard Brigade chiseled her name in history by becoming the first female medical officer stationed at the world’s highest battlefield, the Siachen Glacier.
Karakoram, situated within the world's second-highest mountain range, is home to Siachen Glacier. This mountain range has strategic significance for the Indian army. The inclement weather and difficult terrain have claimed more lives than the combat losses sustained by the Indian and Pakistani forces. This is a risky, avalanche-prone terrain with many lethal cracks. A persistent chilly wind and poor visibility add to the inhospitable nature of the glacier. The glacier's temperature can drop as low as -50 degrees Celsius, quickly turning boiling water into ice.
Indian platoons are deployed to serve the nation in such hostile conditions. The first woman to be deployed there was Captain Shiva Chouhan, an engineer from the Bengal Fire and Fury sappers who was posted to the battlefield of Kumar's post in the highest Siachen battlefield. The second woman captain and the first army medical corps to be posted in Siachen is Dr. Geetika Koul.
Captain Geetika Koul was deployed following her successful completion of the intense integration camp that covered tactics for survival, specific medical procedures, and adjusting to the conditions of elevated terrain at the Siachen Battle School. This exciting news was announced by the Fire and Fury Corps of the Indian Army on their official X handle.
The Prime Minister, in his congratulatory speech on the commissioning of Lieutenant Commander Prerna Deosthalee as the commander in chief of the INS fast attack aircraft Trinkat, emphasized the government's commitment to strengthening the Nari Shakti in the armed forces on Navy Day on Monday. This is yet another achievement by an Indian woman.
When this historic news was shared among the medical professionals in the Medbound app, it was celebrated and welcomed.
(Rehash/Bharkhavy K V)
