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First woman paratrooper to get 'achiever' award

Lt Col Josyula Farida Rehana is a paratrooper and the first woman surgeon in the army

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Lt Col Josyula Farida Rehana
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When she applied to be a part of the elite Parachute Regiment of the Indian Army to be a paratrooper, Lt Col Josyula Farida Rehana was categorically told to forget about it. "I was told point blank that I will not be allowed into the force because I'm a woman. In fact, my application was rejected twice even when I made the cut," says Lt Col Rehana.

Lt Col Rehana went on to work in the medical wing and was finally allowed to send in her application. Eventually, she became the first woman to be part of the elite Parachute Regiment. To commemorate her contribution, the Union ministry of Women and Child Development will honour her and 111 other women, from diverse fields, with a Women Achievers award presented by President Ramnath Kovind on January 20.

Some of the awardees include Bachendri Pal, the first woman to climb Mt Everest; Radhika Menon, India's first female captain of the merchant navy; Mamta Devi, the nation's first competitive female body-builder; and Tessy Thomas, the first woman scientist in the country to head a missile project.

Lt Col Rehana is a paratrooper and the first woman surgeon in the army. In a career spanning 21 years, with 12 years in the para unit, she took more than 1,000 jumps and one free-fall jump. She was at the forefront of the 1971 Indo-Pak war in a medical capacity as women are not allowed in combat.

When she looks at the women who have made it to the forces today, she remembers her own struggles. "I feel good when I meet the women in the force. They got more facilities and support, but I can vouch for some real good time spent," she signs off.

THE FIRST OF MANY

Lt Col Rehana is a paratrooper and the first woman surgeon in the army. In a career spanning 21 years, with 12 years in the para unit, she took more than 1,000 jumps and one free-fall jump. She was at the forefront of the 1971 Indo-Pak war

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