BENGALURU: Ahead of International Women’s Day, the first batch of 100 women Agniveer recruits have just begun training at the Corps of Military Police (CMP) Centre in Bengaluru. Beginning training from March 1, the Agniveer recruits have reportedly been increasingly enthusiastic, already being able to disassemble INSAS rifles and complete obstacle courses.
“Their response has been incredibly overwhelming. They are highly motivated and high-spirited. Every one of them wants to be a part of the 25 per cent permanent cadre. They are all competitive, and also very high-spirited,” Major Valentina D’Mello, an Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) officer and training officer for the female Agniveer recruits, told TNIE.
The women recruits are part of the second batch of Agniveer recruits to begin training at the CMP Centre. Currently, there are over 350 Agniveer recruits training at the centre -- the first batch of all male recruits is currently in their tenth week of training, and the second batch consists of 100 female and 140 male recruits, who began training on March 1.
The recruits, aged between 18 and 23, will undergo a 31-week intensive training and emerge as Agniveers working as part of the CMP. “Daily duties will be akin to the role of the military police. They will be handling discipline of the cantonment, specifically law and order situations. For the women Agniveers, they will also have specific tasks of frisking of women, as well as handling offences against women and children,” said Major D’Mello.
Speaking to TNIE, one of the Agniveer recruits, M P Preethi (22), said that to be able to serve her nation was like a religion. “I feel very proud that I have received the opportunity to serve my country. To be able to serve the nation is like a religion by itself. It doesn’t matter if it’s for four years or for 24 years. My family is my primary motivation and I’m very thankful for them, especially my big brother. Though he wasn’t recruited in the Indian Army, he inspired and motivated me to join,” she said.
“Under the Agniveer scheme, we have to complete the training in a compressed time frame. The primary focus will be on physical conditioning, weapons training, handling of small arms and other operational aspects of the military police,” said CMP Commandant Brigadier Jose Abraham.