New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government, which platformed two women officers of different faiths – Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Air Force – to jointly address the nation about India’s military strikes on terror camps in Pakistan, had a few years ago opposed permanent commission to women officers. The decision to feature two women officers in the briefing, in a first, was lauded as a strategic move. Given the fact that the Pahalgam attack targeted predominantly Hindu men, the name ‘Operation Sindoor’ was also spoken about widely. Several pointed to the fact that it perpetuated patriarchal and sexist stereotypes.Interestingly, as highlighted by LiveLaw, in 2020, the Supreme Court had specifically acknowledged the achievements of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi in its landmark judgment as it granted Permanent Commission (PC) to women officers in the Indian Army.This was also when the Union government had made the discriminatory and patriarchal claim in its note submitted to the Supreme Court portraying women as physiologically unfit for answering the “call beyond duty” of the Army. On February 17, 2020, the Supreme Court had strongly criticised the government saying the note perpetuated gender stereotypes and ordered it to grant Permanent Commission to women officers, upholding a 2010 Delhi high court decision.“Arguments by the Centre founded on physical strength of men and women and grounds of motherhood, family etc violates equality… To cast aspersions on ability of women and their role and achievements in Army is an insult not only to women but also to Indian Army,” the judgement had read. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, who was hearing the case, had observed that even if women were “less fit” for combat roles, these comprised only a tiny fraction of roles in the armed forces, and thus, women can be given Permanent Commission in other roles. “Two things are required to rid any form of gender discrimination – administrative will and change in mindset,” he had said.Justice Chandrachud, who is now retired, had highlighted the exemplary service of several women Short Service Commission (SSC) officers and Qureshi’s name was the first among 12 names mentioned. “Lieutenant Colonel Sophia Qureshi (Army Signal Corps) is the first woman to lead an Indian Army contingent at a multi-national military exercise named “Exercise Force 18‟ which is the largest ever foreign military exercise hosted by India. She has served in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operation in Congo in 2006 where she, along with others, was in charge of monitoring ceasefires in those countries and aiding in humanitarian activities. Her job included ensuring peace in conflict affected areas,” Chandrachud had said, as quoted by LiveLaw.The journey to Permanent Commission for women officers was still not smooth. In October that year, two women officers had filed petitions claiming they were being disqualified on medical grounds from grant of Permanent Commission. As per a report by The Times of India, a bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud, Indu Malhotra and Indira Banerjee said the Indian Army could not be oblivious to women officers having served the country with distinction and that it would be a travesty of justice to seek fitness levels of a 30-year-old gentleman officer from a 50-year-old woman officer for the grant of Permanent Commission. “There is a difference of thinking in the level of top leaders and the thinking in the Army bureaucracy. We have to bridge the chasm,” the bench had said, directing the solicitor general to come up with a solution with the Army brass to avoid “the court ramming it down the throat”, as per the report.