Lieutenant Rigzin Chorol’s journey of becoming the first woman officer from Ladakh began after her husband, rifleman Rigzin Khandap of 3 Ladakh Scouts, died in the line of duty few years ago. Last year, she passed out of OTA in Chennai along with the fresh batch of Indian Army officers

Raising her 15-month-old child and fulfilling her late husband’s wish, Lieutenant Rigzin Chorol, the first woman officer from Ladakh, was honoured by General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi on Tuesday.

The Northern Command tweeted on Tuesday, “Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi commended Lieutenant Rigzin Chorol for beating all odds and becoming first woman officer from Ladakh and realising her husband’s dream, who laid down his life in the service of the nation.”

Chorol’s journey of becoming the first woman officer from Ladakh began after her husband, rifleman Rigzin Khandap of 3 Ladakh Scouts, died in the line of duty a few years ago. Last year, she passed out of the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai along with the fresh lot of Indian army officers.

“My husband was in Ladakh Scouts and wanted to be an Army officer. I wanted to join the Army after the tragedy because he wanted me to… This is like realising his dream,” Chorol had said last year.

According to the Indian Army officers, a bunch of them guided and helped her fulfil her dreams after her husband’s death.

Lt Rigzin Chorol is a graduate in Economics. Her picture with her 15-month-old son became quite popular on social media when she passed out of OTA last year along with other 151 male and 35 female cadets.

After meeting woman officer Chorol, who is deputed in Ladakh, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi also reviewed operational situation in the UT’s Sub Sector North.

The officer also exhorted the vital contributions of troops stationed at LAC in strengthening India’s border defence, the Northern Command has said.

In the recent past, several forward areas have seen deployment of women officers as a process of widening the scope of responsibilities to them. The Indian Army has given various key tasks to women officers who were recently selected at the rank of Colonel.

“Women Officers are serving proudly and confidently in various operational theatres of the Indian Army. With an aim to provide equal opportunities to women, the Indian Army has granted Permanent Commission (PC) to women officers at par with their male counterparts. With the grant of PC, women officers can aspire to achieve greater glory and shoulder higher ranks and responsibility," an Indian Army official had said.