44. "Ladies First", said the honourable minister and asked me to enter first.

Thousand Full Moon: Shrimati Kamal Vasant Bhave, She lives in Pune, India. 
Contributed By: Dr. R. Boradkar

The story of Shrimati Bhave is remarkable. She served in defence for 44 years, which is considered as an exclusively male domain.

This is what she has to say...

I retired as a gazetted officer from the Defence Department after serving for 44 years. Before my retirement, the department had organized an exhibition of spare parts for Tanks. The sub depot where I was working as a commanding officer had also participated in that exhibition. I was supposed to look after this particular section. The exhibition was managed and looked after by Army Officers who were males and I was the only female civilian officer there. The exhibition was inaugurated by the then Honourable Defence minister.

When he came to our section, I received him, giving him a bouquet of flowers. The senior officers were against this and were unwilling to permit initially, but then agreed to it and gave me to go head as I was to felicitate him.

After the inauguration, a party was arranged for the Honourable Minister, the invited guests and the army officers. As a woman, I was not allowed to attend. But my Army Officer colleagues fought on my behalf .They argued that I was an Officer [though a woman] and that I was working with them from the beginning and I should be allowed to attend the party. I was then granted permission to attend.

The officer’s mess was decorated for the party. There were two doors and they used to be opened exactly at the time of the party. According to protocol the chief guest was supposed to be the first to enter. The Honorable  Defense Minister was the chief guest and he was expected to enter but he didn’t .He looked around and said I see here a woman officer and lets follow the rule Ladies First and asked me to enter first.

This was an honor conferred on me and that too by the Hon. Defense Minister of India. This was the crowning Glory of my life and a treasure that I keep close to my heart.

Shrimati Kamal Vasant Bhave