Captain Supreetha CT made history as the first woman officer from the Army Air Defence to be posted to Siachen, the highest battlefield in the world. Her achievement sets inspiration for more women in the armed forces.
Captain Supreetha CT has made history by becoming the second Indian Army officer and the first from the Corps of Army Air Defence to be operationally deployed at Siachen. The Siachen Glacier, which is also known as the world’s highest battlefield located in the Eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas. It is the second-longest glacier in the world’s non-polar areas and lies south of the drainage divide separating the Eurasian Plate.
In the post on X, the Indian Army announced about her deployment in Siachen, “Breaking Barriers… Conquering Challenges… Captain Supreetha C T joins the league of #SiachenWarriors. With her enduring strength & determination, she is now operationally deployed at the world’s highest battlefield #Siachen,” the Army said. Before her posting, Capt. Supreetha was put through a rigorous one-month training that included endurance training, ice wall climbing and survival drills at the Siachen Battle School.
Captain Supreetha CT Becomes First Woman Army Air Defence Office at Siachen Glacier
Before her posting at Siachen Glacier, Captain Supreetha was put through a rigorous one-month training
Capt. Supreetha hails from Mysuru, Karnataka, with roots in Chamarajanagar district. She comes from a family with a background in public service. Her father, Thirumallesh, serves as a sub-inspector of police in Talkad near Mysuru. She completed her high school and pre-university course at Marimallappa’s in Mysuru. Later, she earned her LLB degree from JSS Law College in Mysuru. Captain Supreetha embarked on her military career by joining the Indian Army as a Lieutenant in 2021. Her inital posting was in the Army Air Defence, following comprehensive training in Chennai.
Capt. Supreetha first made headlines across the country when she along with her husband Major Jerry Blaize from India’s Madras Regiment participated in the Republic Day parade on Kartavya Path in Delhi on January 26, 2024.The couple marched down the Kartavya Path as members of two separate contingents, marking the first time a couple from Indian Army shared this honour. The two officers have known each other since their days in the National Cadets Corps (NCCC). Supreetha was part of the NCC contingent in the Republic Day parade in 2016.
Capt. Supreetha along with her husband Major Jerry Blaize
Capt. Supreetha’s achievement is indeed likely to inspire more women to consider careers in the armed forces. Her courage and determination serves as a powerful example of what women can achieve in traditionally male-dominated fields.
Before Capt. Supreetha, Shiva Chouhan was the first female officer to be deployed in Siachen. The Siachen Glacier is considered one of the most toughest battlefields in the world, owing to extreme altitudes and temperatures often dropping to -50°C.