GUWAHATI: The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has challenged gender stereotypes by appointing women officers to command roles in challenging terrains.
ALSO READ: Guwahati: Fake Doctor Arrested In Lalganesh
Traditionally, BRO, established in 1960, had only male officers due to the demanding nature of tasks and prolonged isolated deployments. However, a paradigm shift occurred with the appointment of the first woman officer, Vaishali S Hiwase, as Officer Commanding (OC) of a Road Construction Company (RCC) on April 28, 2021. She was tasked with overseeing the construction of one of the toughest roads connecting Munshiyari to Milam Glacier in Uttarakhand.
Click Here To Join Our WhatsApp Channel
The success of this initiative led to the establishment of an all-women RCC at Pipalkoti in Chamoli district, with Major Aaina Rana taking command on August 30, 2021.
Major Rana, along with three Platoon Commanders, demonstrated leadership in developing roads up to the Mana Pass, situated at an altitude of 18,478 feet, the second-highest pass in the country. The RCC's outstanding performance under Major Rana's leadership received recognition when Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for widening the strategically important road to Mana pass on October 22, 2022.
Colonel Navneet Duggal made history as the first EME officer to command a workshop in the challenging location of Kashmir Valley, ensuring technical support for road construction activities. Lt Col (now Colonel) Snigdha Sharma became the first woman officer to head the Legal Cell in BRO's Headquarters, effectively managing over 700 court cases. These women officers not only shattered gender barriers but also set new standards of excellence within BRO.
Building on this initiative, Col Archana Sood was appointed Commander of a Task Force at Zero in Arunachal Pradesh in February 2023, becoming the first woman officer to lead a Task Force in BRO. Col Ponung Doming followed suit, heading a Task Force at Hanle, Ladakh, responsible for critical BRO projects under challenging conditions, including the construction of the world's highest road at 19,400 feet in Chumar sector.
