Wing Commander Pooja Thakur moves Armed Forces Tribunal after IAF denies permanent commission

Wing Commander Pooja Thakur, who became the first lady officer to lead the Inter-Service Guard of Honour which was inspected by US President Barack Obama at Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi, has moved court after the Indian Air Force denied Permanent Commission to her.

According to news18.com, Thakur has termed the IAF's decision as "biased, discriminatory, arbitrary and unreasonable".

"Armed Forces Tribunal admitted the matter and has sought IAF's response within 4 weeks," reported ANI, quoting Wing CDR Pooja Thakur's Lawyer Sudhanshu Pandey.

"I am an officer first and then a woman. Be it male or female. We are just the same. We are given the same kind of training. We are equals," Pooja had said after representing the IAF commanding the Inter-Services Guard.

Thakur, who joined the Indian Air Force in 2000, belongs to the administrative branch and is currently posted at 'Disha', the publicity cell under the Directorate of Personnel Officers at the Air Force Headquarters.