Rekha Singh, Who Lost Husband In 2020 Galwan Valley Clashes, Is Commissioned Into Army, To Oversee Logistics In Ladakh

Lieutenant Rekha Singh, who lost her husband Naik Deepak Singh in the Galwan Valley clashes between India and China three years ago, is scheduled to go to eastern Ladakh.

In her new role, she will be responsible for supervising the supply chain of the Army's equipment, clothing, and ammunition at a forward location along the Line of Actual Control, reported The Indian Express.

Lt Rekha joined the Army Ordnance Corps on Saturday. The corps is responsible for supplying material and logistical support during war.

Late Naik Deepak Singh, a nursing assistant in the Bihar regiment of the Indian Army, was awarded the Vir Chakra in 2021 for his bravery during the Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020, which claimed the lives of 20 soldiers.

During the passing out parade at the Officers’ Training Academy in Chennai, Lt Rekha expressed her pride upon being commissioned as an Army cadet after undergoing rigorous training for 11 months.

“My husband, wherever he is, must be feeling proud. This was a hard decision, but I wanted to feel and go through everything my husband went through. So, I decided to join the Indian Army,” Rekha said after the parade, according to the report.

With the military stand-off between India and China about to enter its third year next month, there have been attempts to ease tensions with some agreements made between both nations on certain friction points along the LAC after several rounds of military talks. However, the situation in the area remains unstable, with no indication of an overall de-escalation.

According to a senior officer, reported TIE, Lt Rekha's journey started when she successfully passed the Services Selection Board (SSB) in the beginning of last year and commenced her training in May.

“Wives of soldiers killed in action are exempt from appearing for the Combined Defence Services Examination, which is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), a prerequisite for the SSB interview,” the officer said.

“These women are also eligible for age relaxation, although Rekha didn’t require it being in her early 20s,” the officer added.

Indian Army tweeted on Saturday (29 April):

On Saturday, first batch of five women cadets were commissioned into the Army's Regiment of Artillery alongside 19 male officers after the parade.

Lt Mehak Saini is in a Surveillance and Target Acquisition regiment, Lts Sakshi Dubey and Aditi Yadav are in Field Regiments, Lt Pious Mudgil is in a Medium Regiment, and Lt Akanksha is assigned to a Rocket Regiment.

As per the report, three have been deployed to northern borders and two to challenging locations in the western theatre.

“These young women officers are being posted to all types of artillery units, where they will get adequate training and exposure to handle rockets, medium and field guns and SATA equipment in challenging conditions,” an officer said, reported TIE.

Lt Mehak said: “Let this be a growth opportunity for women. I am a second-generation officer as my father is also an officer in the Army. My parents and brother supported me. It starts from the family”.