ARMY GETS FIRST WOMAN LIEUTENANT GENERAL

September 1, 2004 - (India News) The Army on Wednesday got its first woman Lieutenant General when Punita Arora assumed command of Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune on Wednesday.

Arora joined the Army Medical Corps as a gynaecologist in 1968.

Arora said that though the Indian army has no gender bias but women tend to quit in the middle due to personal problems.

"Indian army looks at its soldiers and officers equally, whether it is a woman or it's a man. Since, we have very few women in Indian armed forces because many of them who join, due to their personal or domestic problems whatever it may be, they have a tendency to leave in between. But the organisation gives them every chance or opportunity to go up," she said.

Arora was instrumental in setting up the "Assisted Reproductive Technology" at the AFMC and Delhi's Army Hospital (Research and Referral Wing) which has come as a boon to a large number of infertile couples of the armed forces.

Arora, a gold medalist, was also awarded the Sena Medal by the President for establishing gynaecology, endoscopy and oncology facilities in armed forces hospitals.

She was awarded Vishisht Seva Medal for the treatment provided to victims of a terrorist attack on army camp at Kaluchak in Indian Kashmir in May 2002.(ANI)

From: http://news.newkerala.com/india-news/index.php?action=fullnews&id=11115