Indian Army’s Captain Geetika Koul becomes first woman medical officer to be deployed at Siachen

Indian Army’s Captain Geetika Koul has become the army’s first woman medical officer to be deployed at Siachen, which is dubbed as highest battlefield in the world. Prior to her deployment, Captain Koul completed the rigourous training at Siachen Battle School. Indian Army’s Fire and Fury Corps, which guards the Siachen glacier, posted on X (formerly Twitter) announcing the development.

“Captain Geetika Koul from the Snow Leopard Brigade becomes the first woman medical officer of the Indian Army to be deployed at the world’s highest battlefield, Siachen after successfully completing the induction training at Siachen Battle School,” said the post.

The training programme at the prestigious Siachen Battle School is extremely tough and a candidate has to undergo preparation in high-altitude acclimatisation, special medical procedures and survival techniques.

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Siachen Glacier is in the northern part of the Himalayas. It is of strategic significance. It is controlled by India but Pakistan claims it as its own. The region around Siachen Glacier is known for its unforgiving climate.

India’s Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh told the Indian Parliament in 2015 that 869 Indian Army personnel had lost their lives at the Siachen Glacier between 1984 and 2015. These army personnel had lost their lives due to factors related to climate and environment.

Siachen Glacier is at an altitude of 5400 metres from the sea level. Temperatures at Siachen Glacier dip as low as -45 degrees Celsius and the harsh climate conditions mean that even a soldier cannot be stationed at Siachen Glacier for long periods.

Press Trust of India (PTI) has previously quoted India’s former defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman who mentioned data that nine Indian Army personnel died in 2008 at Siachen. This was followed by 13 in 2009.

In the year 2010, 50 army personnel lost their lives. In 2011, lives of twenty-four army personnel were claimed. In three years after that, 31 personnel were killed.

(With inputs from agencies)