Examining the First-Ever Women s Military Participation in India

There has been an overall rise in the presence of women in the armed forces of countries. A close look at the Indian Armed Forces reveals a gradual change in the nature and scope of women’s military participation clearly reflecting the growing role of women in security and nation building. Research and scholarship exploring and examining their earliest military presence is needed to understand the genesis of Women’s Military Participation(WMP) in India. Women’s Auxiliary Corps (India), WAC(I) though considered a colonial relic, is a treasure trove of information that can illuminate critical developments shaping and affecting women’s agency of power. Indian women in WAC(I) were participating in a general, technical and non-medical role for the first time in the military, regarded as a non-traditional occupation. Women’s military participation in WAC(I) deserves a critical feminist analysis for unraveling the state’s instrumentalist and patriarchal approach while gaining a contextual understanding of the landmark development.  

Keywords:
Women’s Military Participation in India, feminist, colonial, WAC(I), non-traditional occupation, patriarchy, power, state, empowerment