The Indian Army has initiated a Court of Inquiry (CoI)into the leak of an internal communication concerning the performance review of eight women officers by Lieutenant General Rajeev Puri, the former 17 Corps commander (now retired).

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi emphasized that the letter’s leak was unacceptable, and an investigation has been ordered.

Advertisement

In October of the previous year, Lt General Puri penned a five-page letter addressing “command by women officers” to Eastern Army Commander Lieutenant General Ram Chander Tiwari. The letter contained an internal review by the Panagarh-based mountain strike corps, which highlighted concerns such as “ego issues,” “frequent complaints,” and “lack of empathy” among the women Commanding Officers (COs) under the 17 Corps.

This review follows the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling, which allowed women officers to take on command roles outside the medical stream for the first time, involving 108 women officers in such assignments.

Responding to the controversy, General Dwivedi defended the decision to appoint women officers to CO roles. He explained that the remarks in Lt General Puri’s letter were his personal perceptions.

“General Puri’s letter shouldn’t have leaked and a court of inquiry has been ordered into it. It’s his perception, he is within his rights to give that perception and comment. It’s an internal communication. What we need to assess is the situation when we appointed these women as COs,” General Dwivedi stated during the Army’s annual press conference.

“This was based on the Supreme Court order, and the complete process was accelerated. When we appoint COs, we give them exposure in various fields. We make them undergo various courses. For these women COs, the Junior Command course was not done, and a short course was done. The contact and bonding with troops was less,” the army chief said.

Highlighting the performance of women officers, General Dwivedi lauded their accomplishments, asserting that they are excelling in their roles and their numbers will continue to grow.

“Today we have 115 (women) officers who are commanding and 18 are ready to join. I have firsthand experience to say that you will always find all kinds of officers. Wherever I have seen, the women officers have been very mature, very considerate, very kind and if I can say that, up and above,” he added.

The Army Chief also praised Colonel Ponung Doming, the first woman officer to command the world’s highest Border Task Force located above 15,000 feet in the Northern sector.

“She is from East Siang from Passighat. When I was in Northern Command, in Dhemchok one of the most difficult roads was being built and she was always there. I went to Umling La, which is the highest motorable pass, and she was always there. I went to an underground cavern and she was again there,” he said.

General Dwivedi also expressed his vision for the future, emphasizing the need for strong women officers.

“As far as women officers are concerned, we want strong women officers. Does it mean ‘Kali Mata Ka Roop’? Maybe. But it has to be a gender-neutral approach in the conduct. And even the infrastructure which is being provided in the field areas. Places like Sikkim and Mizoram are already looking into it. The physical test parameters should nearly be the same. But keeping in view the physical conditions, there may be some exception which will be made,” he said.