GUWAHATI: The Border Security Force (BSF) has inducted the first female sniper into the Forces, as per an announcement by the BSF Central School of Weapons & Training (CSWT) Indore on March 2.
The BSF CSWT Indore took to X to announce this remarkable news, and stated, “BSF is truly becoming an inclusive Force where #ladies are taking rapid strides everywhere. In a step in this direction, after rigorous training, #BSF has got the First #Mahila Sniper.”
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The female sniper’s name has reportedly been confirmed as Sub-Inspecter (SI) Suman Kumari, who hails from the Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh and achieved this feat after rigorous training.
“She was the lone woman among 56 men and she put up an amazing performance in every activity. We are hoping that more female recruits will take up this course,” CSWT IG Bhaskar Singh Rawat was quoted as saying.
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Kumari also became the first woman to get 'instructor grade' in the gruelling eight-week BSF sniper course at Central School of Weapons and Tactics in Indore, according to media reports.
“Trainees who perform exceptionally well get Alpha and Bravo grading, but a separate screening test is done for ‘instructor grade’ that Suman has achieved. She is the first woman sniper in BSF and will be an inspiration for other women to come forward. This course is one of the toughest after the commando training,” IG Rawat further said to media.
Suman Kumari had earlier joined the BSF in 2021 and was reportedly commanding a platoon in Punjab when she realized the threat of sniper attacks from across the border, after which she readily volunteered for the sniper course and wrote to her superiors, who gave her the go-ahead after seeing her resolve.