Whatever happened to women’s empowerment? Rahul Gandhi and his ilk have been shouting from the rooftops about empowering women and recognizing their work. But unfortunately it’s nothing but blabber from our politicians who only talk for brownie points.
The question is, why hasn’t she been conferred an honorary rank of Major (or Lt Col) like her husband? Let’s check out her credentials….
The President of India conferred Honorary Rank upon Dr. Deepak Rao, MS Dhoni and Abhinav Bindra on Nov 1, 2011. Combat specialist Deepak Rao contributed selflessly in modernization of Close Quarter Battle for the Indian Army for 17 years.
His life partner and wife Dr. Seema Rao has been a part of this tireless pursuit every step of the way. And yet the Rank was bestowed only upon Deepak Rao. Dr. Seema Rao is probably the world’s first woman combat specialist in the field of Close Quarter Combat training, who has significantly contributed to the Indian forces.
Dr. Seema Rao has already been featured in the First Edition of the deFacto Women’s Directory, so we are no stranger to her accomplishments. Neither are we strangers to discrimination in every field that women venture into.
Credentials
- Dr. Seema Rao is an MD, MBA in Crisis Management and PhD Honora Doctoris (Indiana) in Martial Science. She is the daughter of a freedom fighter. Along with her husband, Honorary Major Deepak Rao, she has dedicated her life to the service to the nation. In a country where women are still looked upon as weaker sex and the Indian Army itself has many reservation in terms of capabilities of men and women, here stands a women who did not bring up a family for the sake of her work for the nation. Her contributions include Combat training and authoring books for the Indian Forces.
- She earned her Para Wings from the Indian Air Force under special directive of the Air Chief.
- She is a 6th degree Black Belt in Military Martial arts and a medalist Rock climber from the Army Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.
- She is also a crack shot Combat Shooting instructor.
- One of the 10 women in the world to be certified in Bruce Lee’s martial arts of Jeet Kune Do, 38 years after Lee’s death.
- She was runner up in the Mrs India World beauty pageant in 2004. She received the World Peace Diplomat Award from the Malaysian PM at the World Peace Congress (UN Affiliate) in 2008. She received the “Outstanding Law Enforcement Instructor Award” from US Hall of Fame.
- She has devoted 17 years of her life to sharing her expertise in Close Quarter Combat with the Indian forces. She along with her husband, Prof. Dr. Rao have imparted training in CQB to almost every elite unit of the Indian Forces, including NSG-Black Cat Commandos, Marine Commandos (MARCOS), Air Force Commando - Garud, Para Commando Special Forces, BSF, Army Corps Battle School's Commando Wing, National Police Academy, Army Officers Training Academy, etc. They have been called to train the Police QRTs of almost every major city & State in India as Official Resource Person by Directive of the Home Ministry. Their innovations have been used in modernization of training by the armed forces.
Selfless Service without Compensation:
All of Seema’s work over the past 17 years has been without any monetary compensation, as a selfless service to the country. The Rao couple’s research of last the 17 years was compiled into many books –
Encyclopedia of Close Combat Ops, Commando - Manual Of Unarmed Combat, Forces Handbook Of World Terrorism etc. All the copies of these limited editions were distributed to the Indian forces by the Union home ministry.
Seema has not accepted any compensation for the book, not even the cost of production.
National Commendations
Dr. Seema has received the Army Chief’s citation, the Home Minister’s appreciation letter & Chief Minister’s commendation for her work. In 2008, then Army Commander Gen VK Singh commended her efforts in modernization of combat training for the Army. In 2009 then Home Minister of India, Shri P. Chidambaram put on record her selfless work for the country.
Sacrifices
In her pursuit for service to the country, Dr. Seema has suffered from head injury & Amnesia, vertebral fracture and other life threatening injuries. She has opted to not have children in order to enable her to continue the rigorous demands of her high intensity job profile.
The question that needs to be asked
Despite sharing equally in all of the above contributions as a couple,
Dr. Seema has not yet been conferred equal Rank. When she has clearly shown calibre, that women can be of equal capacity even in a combat role,
why cannot a provision be made for her to be awarded Honorary Rank of Major/Lt Col for her selfless contributions? When the President of India can confer rank upon Deepak Rao, why not Seema Rao, who is equally part of the combat couple team?
Women in the Army - Should Rank be Conferred upon Women? | DeFacto Women's Directory | India
