The Iron Lady

Tanu Shree Pareek, India’s first woman combat officer of the BSF, talks to Nikita Sawant about the trials and triumphs of being part of the forces.

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In 2013, India’s Border Security Force (BSF) opened its doors to women officers. Three years later, Tanu Shree Pareek of Bikaner was the only woman among 66 men who had joined the BSF Academy. In 2016, assistant commandant Pareek became the first woman combat officer in the BSF. “I wouldn’t say it’s an extraordinary feat. But even so, what I’ve observed is that a woman has to try harder and do better than her male colleagues just to prove herself. When one man achieves something, it’s usually considered that all men can do it. And if one woman can’t do something, it’s assumed that all women can’t do it,” she says.

Being the only woman in her batch was no reason for Pareek to falter. She knew she had a long way to go, and she knew her limits would be tested. But the uniform was calling, and she had to succeed for the sake of all women. “I consider it my privilege that I was able to give the men equal competition. I had a good equation with them, but like any other workplace, if you are a woman who is not as competitive, you’re considered a sister or a friend. That is until the day you decide to perform well, when you suddenly become a competitor,” she says.