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Gunjan Saxena and Srividya Rajan. Names that got lost in time. Names that we should have never forgotten in the first place. Names of India's first women combat aviators who went all guns blazing into the heart of the war zone that was Kargil, seventeen years ago. This is the story of their bravery.

Gunjan Saxena had grown up in a family of fighters ready to give their all for the nation. Even her father and brother were in the army so when she decided to join the armed forces after completing her graduation from Delhi University's Hansraj College, it was more like a natural choice. In 1994, Ms Saxena, along with Srividya Rajan became one of the 25 young women who formed the first batch of women IAF trainee pilots. Although women pilots got inducted in the fighter squadron only in 2016, these two set the precedent back in 1999. At a time when many were still apprehensive about allowing females into the Indian Air Force, citing extreme physical and mental stress as reasons, Ms Saxena and Ms Rajan helped turn things in India's favour before becoming the perfect role models that they are.

Gunjan Saxena and Srividya Rajan

Ndtv

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Times were tough back then. Not only was the male dominated armed forces of the country hesitant to let females into the army, those females selected would also have to go that extra length to prove that they were not only qualified but as good as the men if not better in carrying out the assigned tasks. Saxena and Rajan were waiting for one such opportunity to shine, and they eventually got it when the war broke out with Pakistan in 1999 over Kargil.

Gunjan Saxena and Srividya Rajan

Ndtv

Even though they never flew fighter jets, Flight Lieutenant Gunjan Saxena and Flight Lieutenant Srividya Rajan did fly through an area where the Pakistani army was practically shooting at anything and everything. The battle was tense and the army needed each and every pilot of theirs during the battle. The women pilots were called in, tasked with medical evacuations, supply drops and spotting Pakistani positions in the war zone. Not worrying about the fact that their tiny Cheetah helicopters were unarmed and completely defenseless to enemy attack, the two brave hearts continued flying in and out of the danger zone in North Kashmir. Apparently, in one of the attacks the Pakistani Army fired a rocket at Gunjan's chopper that was ready for take-off at the Kargil airstrip. The missile barely missed the chopper and crashed into the hill right behind. This was just one of the many near death experiences that Saxena and Rajan encountered, but it never slowed them down. Like every other Indian soldier, they too were prepared to die for their country that day. Gunjan was carrying a fully loaded INSAS assault rifle and a revolver with her, in case they crash landed near the enemy base they would have gone down fighting. Talking to NDTV, she says it was the evacuation of the injured Indian Army soldiers that motivated her the most during the war. "I think it is the ultimate feeling that you can ever have as a helicopter pilot. That was one of our main roles there - casualty evacuation. I would say it's a very satisfying feeling when you save a life because that is what you're there for," she said.

Gunjan Saxena and Srividya Rajan

The lack of opportunities for women in the army led to the end of Gunjan's tenure as a chopper pilot after 7 years of service. For her outstanding show of courage in the Kargil war, Gunjan was awarded the Shaurya Vir Award, a gallantry award presented for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice while not engaged in direct enemy combat. She was also the first woman to receive such an honour from the army. Gunjan and Srividya never got an opportunity to fly fighter jets, but they did pave the way for others like them who wanted to fight for their country shoulder to shoulder with the men.