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In 1992 Anupama Joshi, 45, joined the Indian Air Force Education Branch, and became part of the first batch of women in the Indian Defence Forces in India. Joshi recounts, "We were 12 of us in the first batch and the Indian Air Force was the first organisation to induct us, followed by the Army and the Navy. There was lot of fanfare and adulation for being the pioneers. We were showcased at the Air Force Diamond Jubilee celebration in 1992." Anupama is quick to add that the induction of women officers was being closely watched over by sceptics, wondering about women’s performance in a ‘man’s world’! She shares the thrill of success as a woman in uniform, "The drill, the parade, physical fitness standards, cross-country run — all seemed difficult at first but soon became second nature to us. One thing the Academy instils in you is self-belief. At the end of a gruelling day you wonder,‘gosh I never knew I had so much’!" Recalling the challenges as a woman officer Joshi adds, "Though initially it was tough to make one’s position, yet diligent work and discipline was my forte, soon I got recognition as a no-nonsense person. It took time but I was accepted in the community. The mantra was simple, ‘Be an officer, never a lady’. If you make that clear in your mind slowly the rest start accepting you." The initial induction of women in the forces at that time was for five years and as is the norm, permanent commission depended upon performance. But not so in Anupama’s curious case when after the completion of four years her batch suddenly got an extension of service for six years. Anupama then underwent a long and arduous mental struggle and also a legal battle to secure permanent commission for herself and her batch of women officers."After trying all options for two years within the forces, I knocked the doors of the Delhi High Court. I was continuously told that one can never win over an organisation. I asked all my batchmates but barring my colleague Sqn Ldr Rukhsana, no one came forward. Ironically, they are now fighting on the basis of my judgment. All is well that ends well, we won the case in the year 2010, two years after my retirement, and I became the first woman officer in the history of the forces to get a letter of reinstatement to service!" After her retirement in 2008, Anupama did a Management Development Programme from IIM Ahmedabad and joined the Chennai-based Insitute of Finance Management and Research Trust, which has set up rural banks in remote places in India for financial inclusion. As the founder-CEO of Sahastradhar Kshetriya Grameen Financial Services (SKGFS) based out of Dehradun, operational in the remote rural hilly areas of Uttarakhand, the endeavour is to provide financial services to rural folk, from homemakers to daily wage earners. Anupama elaborates, "I chose to serve my state and SKGFS provides all financial services like credit, insurance, remittance also the National Pension Scheme to people in remote areas. The focus is on the creation of regional financial institutions (Kshetriya Grameen Financial Services) across the country. There are as of now 30 branches in Tehri Garwahal and Uttarkashi district, with over 130 employees who are from rural areas and are trained and positioned into different branches in the region!" Associated with The Doon School, Anupama juggles home, family career and social work all in a day’s work, "Time management is the key to success. When I see empowered, smiling rural folk because of a loan for marriage or a pension scheme for women, I am happy that we as educated beings can be a medium of effecting change."
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