Indian Army's Initiatives for Women's Empowerment in Eastern Ladakh

BY EMPOWERING THE WOMEN OF EASTERN LADAKH, THE INDIAN ARMY IS NOT ONLY DEFENDING THE LAND BUT ALSO THE COUNTRY'S SOUL. WITHIN THAT DEFENCE LIES A NEW VISION OF PATRIOTISM, ONE THAT RAISES, INCLUDES, AND HEALS.

- AAFIYA BHAT

The women of Eastern Ladakh are living examples of toughness, grace, and relentless spirit, a peculiar blend of fragility and strength shaped not just by gender but also by geography, geopolitics, and history.

Situated on the peaks ranging from 14,000 to 18,000 feet, their lives unfold against a scenery that few on earth have ever seen. Their daily reality is defined by freezing temperatures of -30°C, oxygen-starved air, and huge, treeless landscapes. Unlike their counterparts in Kargil, who live in reasonably arable valleys, the women of Eastern Ladakh reside in one of the world's most challenging populated areas.

They are not only caregivers and homemakers, but also Changpa tribal shepherds, managing livestock, including Pashmina goats, across freezing plains and spinning the world's finest wool, all while raising children, caring for the elderly, and preserving their cultural identities. Their resilience is being tested by a triple burden that has rarely been faced collectively, ie, climate change, border tension, and gender inequity. Glacial retreat and irregular snowfall have threatened their water supply and pastoral cycles. The very territory they walk on is a geopolitically sensitive area; these women live within the firing range of two nuclear neighbours, China and Pakistan. The 2020 Galwan Valley clash brought this bleak reality into their courtyards, upsetting livelihoods and displacing families.