Meet India’s First Woman Officer in the Indian Air Force - Dr. Vijayalakshmi Ramanan
Born on February 27, 1924 in Chennai, Dr Vijayalakshmi Ramanan graduated from the Madras Medical College in 1943, receiving the Balfour Memorial Medal for Medicine and Prize for Surgery from the Madras University. She has an MD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and was practising as a surgeon before joining the Indian Army in 1955. Her father was a World War I veteran and a health official in the city.
Ramanan was seconded to the Indian Air Force (IAF) and became its first woman officer in 1971. On her stint as the first woman Air Force officer, she said, ”For quite some years, I was the only lady officer in the Air Force. Initially, I was scared to work with men, but I was brave and thought to myself, I could face anything.”
In an interview with the Rajya Sabha TV, she said, “I had to always be prepared for an emergency. It did not matter…even if it was the dead of night. The moment I got the call, I would wait for the ambulance that was sent to pick me up. I hopped into it and rushed to the location.”
She shattered the glass ceiling when she became an officer with the Indian Air Force, paving the way for others to follow her lead. As of September 2020, more than 1,875 female officers are serving in the IAF.
She joined the armed forces when her husband, who was also an officer in the Indian Air Force, asked her to apply. Since there were no women officers, the Air Force had to make some immediate changes. There were no uniforms for women at that time. Dr Vijayalakshmi created a custom-made saree made out of the Air Force blues and a tan blouse. This makeshift arrangement became the standard Air Force uniform for women.
In another interview, Vijayalakshmi talks about how the Air Force’s women’s uniform came into being: “Mine was a peculiar case. I was inducted and got a Major’s rank. Other women officers in the army and navy wore pants. I wore a saree, but the sleeve was an issue. I could not work as a medical officer with full sleeves. After several correspondences with my headquarters, it was decided that the blouse will have 3/4th sleeves. That too was uncomfortable, especially when I had to deliver babies. I told them that I will roll up my sleeves like men and work.”
Apart from working as a gynaecologist in military hospitals in India, she also used to provide medical care to officers during the wars of 1962, 1965, and 1971. Ramanan encouraged military officers to undergo family planning. She also served in the Armed Force’s hospitals in Jalahalli, Kanpur, Secunderabad, and Bengaluru. During this time, she also taught obstetrics and gynaecology to nurses.
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Dr Vijayalakshmi was the recipient of the Vishist Seva Medal, an honour accorded to Indian armed personnel for distinguished service of a high order. This award was conferred for her treatment of women and children of the country’s Armed Forces.
Even after her retirement in 1979, she had set up a clinic and was often known to consult patients free of cost. She was also trained in Carnatic music and used to be an artist with All India Radio at the age of 15. She passed away at her daughter’s house in Jayanagar, Bengaluru on October 18, 2020.
(Edited by Kanishk Singh)
