Chennai: “I want to see more women in uniform in the Army, Air Force and Navy,” Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told students of Sri Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Vidyalaya Girls School in T Nagar here today.
The Defence Minister was in the city to inaugurate Rotary Club of Madras East’s Project BETI (Better Education and Training Initiatives) in the school to give better access to education to girl students and the differently-abled.
Addressing the girl students, India’s woman Defence Minister said, “Today, I see you in school uniform, tomorrow I want to see you in Army uniform. Out of 1.4 million personnel in the Indian Army, the percentage of women is very less. The defence sector is still dominated by men. You have to change that.”
Nirmala said, “India has always given recognition to its women. But, because of some reason, like lack of access to education, this reduced a few years back. Initiatives like BETI by Rotary and Sarada Vidyalaya school can help girl children.”
“Women in the role of builders of knowledge have always been present in our country. Women’s education is not a new thing. Even in the Rig Veda, 22 women seers have been contributors,” she added.
Through Project BETI, Rotary Club of Madras East has donated Rs 95 lakh for several training programmes and providing computer labs, energy-saving devices, provisions for classroom furniture to the school.