We're proud to wear the uniform: IAF lady officers

By Vishnu Makhijani, Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh), Oct 3: Sarla Yadav and Shruti Yadav personify the Generation Next Indian women who have consciously chosen to pursue a career in the armed forces, saying they are proud to wear the uniform.

The duo, who are not related, are flight lieutenants in the Indian Air Force (IAF) and are among the 15 women who serve at this sprawling frontline air base in north India that has a little over 100 officers in totality.

"We're thoroughly enjoying our jobs," they said in unison.

"There's something to be learnt everyday," Sarla, who performs the extremely taxing job of an air traffic controller, told IANS.

"I wouldn't give this up for anything," added Shruti, who is posted in the administration section and is also the public relations officer of the air base.

The other women posted on the base echoed their views, never mind the fact that they can serve for only a maximum of 14 years as Short Service Commission (SSC) officers since only men are eligible for permanent commissions that enable them to serve, depending on the ranks they rise to, for as long as 43 years.

"I signed up with my eyes open, knowing fully well I would have to leave the service after 14 years unless the government amends the rules," said Shruti, the daughter of a retired IAF officer.

Asked if she faced any gender discrimination, she retorted with a very firm "No, not all".

Shruti's twin responsibilities ensure she has her hands full.

On the administration side, she handles, apart from mundane issues, exhaustive paperwork relating to the promotion of airmen and officers, as also the functioning of an Air Force School and a Kendriya Vidyalaya located on the base.

"I have a couple of men working under me and I am quite comfortable with them, as they are taking orders from me," she beamed.

"My seniors are very supportive and give me enough space, so it works out very nicely," she added.

And what about managing the non-military-savvy media in Bareilly, essentially a laidback small town?

"Let's just say, I manage," she replied diplomatically, adding, "They respect me and I respect them."

That's saying a lot, because small town journalists, particularly in a state like Uttar Pradesh, are often known to shoot from the hip without verifying their facts.

"I've never faced such a situation because we are very transparent about what we do here," Shruti explained, adding: "Every query is answered unless it relates to a matter concerning national security, in which case I pass it on to my seniors who are better equipped to deal with such issues."

Was she concerned over the fact that she can serve only 14 years?

"As I said, I joined with my eyes open. By the time I complete my 14 years, I hope the government will grant us permanent commissions but even it that does not happen, I will have gained enough experience to enable me fit into a civilian environment," Shruti maintained.

Granting women permanent commissions in the armed forces is a contentious issue, with the chiefs of staff committee, comprising the heads of the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force saying the "time was not ripe" for this but that it could eventually happen.

This didn't bother Sarla.

"As part of our on-job training, we routinely visit (civilian) air traffic controls (across the country). So, even if I have to leave (after 14 years), I wouldn't have a problem getting a job I like doing," she explained.

That's saying a lot about a job that experts says is the third most stressful after neuro-surgery and scuba diving.

The IAF has 739 women officers, seven percent of its total officer cadre. Against this, the Indian Army has 945 women officers (2.67 percent of the total cadre) and the Indian Navy 236 women officers (2.94 percent).

Some day, a woman will fly a fighter jet on a combat mission, some day a woman tank commander will lead troops into battle, some day a woman will command a naval vessel. But when will that happen? No one is willing to hazard a guess.

--- IANS

Source : newkerala.com

IAF developing Bareilly as major hub for Sukhois


Bareilly: The IAF is developing state-of-the-art infrastructure here, including a world class avionics lab, for the most potent fighters in its combat fleet — Su-30MKI squadron — in a bid to counter threats, especially from China. A modern tech flight hangar, the biggest in the country, is coming up at the base to house the Sukhois and other allied equipment for its servicing.

“Bareilly is strategically located and we are in the process of converting it into a major hub for the Su-30MKIs,” Chief Administrative Officer of the base Group Captain P.V. Gadgil told a group of visiting journalists. The Sukhois, with a cruising speed range of 3,200 km coupled with advanced beyond-visual range combat capabilities, are capable of striking deep inside China, said another official. Chief Engineering Officer of the base Group Captain Rajiv Gandotra said: “The defence of the nation requires the aeroplanes to be available all the time and in highest numbers.”

Mr. Gadgil said the Eight Squadron based here will be flying the Su-30MKI, once they are delivered by Russia.— PTI

Source : http://www.hindu.com/2007/10/01/stories/2007100156071600.htm

Bareilly, Hindi: ?????, Urdu: ??????) is a metro city in Bareilly district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Standing on the Ramganga river, it is the capital of Rohilkhand Division and is a center for the manufacture of furniture and for trade in cotton, grain, and sugar. The city's population in 2001[1] was 699.839. Geographically it forms the outer gateway to enter Uttarakhand state of India. Bareilly is the 4th city of Uttar Pradesh which has CNG fuel stations after Lucknow,Kanpur and Agra. Bareilly is the 7th largest metropolitan city of Uttar Pradesh and 50th largest metropolitan city of India.

This fast-growing city is also known as Bans-Bareilly, due to its big bamboo & Cane Funiture Market. Bareilly is also known as the counter-magnet city because it is equidistant from New Delhi and Lucknow and has a lot of potential for setting up industries to attract people to settle.It is one of the biggest city of Uttar Pradesh state. Historically it was the part of the ancient kingdom of Panchal. In the Medieval period it was under the Rohillas. The modern city's foundation was laid by Mukrand Rai in 1657.

Geography :
Bareilly is located at 28.35° N 79.42° E. It has an average elevation of 166 metres (544 feet).

Industries :
Parsakhera is the industrial area of Bareilly. Saraswati Camphor Factory, one of Asia's biggest camphor manufacturing factory, is also located here. IFFCO Factory is located in Aonla constituency of Bareilly District. Earlier there use to be a Rubber Factory which was one of the biggest rubber factory of Asia but now it is not working. Bareilly is also a trade hub for Kumaon region of Uttarakhand.

Hospitals :
Bareilly is the medical hub of Rohilkhand and Kumaon Region of Uttarakhand. The city has got several hospitals. Kailash Hospital in Rajendra Nagar area is one of the pioneer in General as well as Laproscopic Surgery. Few Major Hospitals are Clara Swain Hospital, K.K Hospital, Sheel Hospital, Ganga Charan Hospital. Bareilly also has 2 medical colleges by the name of Shree Ram Murti & rohilkhand on the outskirts of Bareilly.

Educational Institutions :
Bareilly is a major educational center of Western Uttar Pradesh. It has sevaral educational institutions such as: M. J. P. Rohilkhand University, Bareilly College & research centers like IVRI. Among others there is Shreeji Institute of Legal & Vocational Education & Research (SILVER) Law College, Shri Rammurti College of Engg and Tech, Shri Rammurti college of Medical Sciences.

MJP Rohilkhand University :
MJP Rohilkhand University was established in 1975 and offers advanced courses in the field of Business Administration,Master of Computer Applcation(MCA), Hotel Management, Engineering, Library Science, Plant and Animal Science, History, Education etc.

Bareilly College :
Bareilly College, established in 1837, is one of the oldest educational institutions of India. Its sprawling campus offers P.G Diploma, Diploma and Certificate courses.

IVRI :
Indian Veterinary Research Institute]] is one the Asia's finest University in Veterinary Sciences located in Izzatnagar, Bareilly. Central avian research institute (CARI) is also located in IVRI and is considered to be a pioneering institute.

Hotels and Restaurants :
Bareilly has a number of hotels and restaurants:

Swarn Towers
Uberoi Anand
Pancham Continental
Sita Kiran
Sehgal hotel
Bareilly Palace

Sports :
Bareilly has two sports stadium

Dori Lal Sports Stadium, City Area, Bareilly
Sadar Sports Stadium, Cantonment Area, Bareilly

Famous personalities and items :
Bareilly is famous for being the home-town of former Miss World Priyanka Chopra.
Another notable personality of Bareilly is Prof. Waseem Barelvi, a famous urdu poet.

Hazrat Shah Saqlain Miya Huzoor is one of the most famous personality of Bareilly.
Ahmed Raza Khan, founder of the Barelwi Islamic movement, which gets its name from the city.
A famous Ayurveda practitioner of the region was the Late Vaidya Narrottam Tripathi.
The place is also related to the late Kalpana Chawla, an astronaut at NASA. Her maternal grandparents live in the city.

Late Pandit Radhey Shyam katha vachak was an important personality born in Bareilly. He contributed a lot to Hindi literature and drama [citation needed]. The book Radheshyam Ramayan is his seminal work. Even today most of the Ramlila performers use the quotations from his book.

Bareilly was the location of the famous Verma Seed Company founded in early 1900s.

It exported seeds world over. Govind Verma, one of the descendents of the owner of the company, Amba Prasad Verma, was a famous lawyer of the city, whose legal briefs are included in citations of the Supreme Court of India and Allahabad High Court. Another descendent, Narayan Verma, is a famous Neurologist in the United States and the President of AIIMSONIANS of America.

Bareilly is famous for its surma (EyeLiner) and furniture made from bamboo sticks.
Sri P. K. Dey is leading lawyer of Bareilly. He joined U.P. high court in 1979 and now he is practicing in supreme court of India since 1989. he is a great social worker as he is chief council for mahila dakshta samiti of India governed by president of India.

Sri V.K. Jain joined UP judicial services in 1975. He was posted as Munsif Magistrate at Nainital, Pithoragad, Allahabad. He was posted on deputation as legal advisor NOIDA from 1980 to 1984. He was legal advisor to Governor of Uttar Pradesh from 1988 to 1989. He was promoted to UP HJS and remained posted as ADJ at Lucknow, Kanput Nagar, Meerut and Agra. He took voluntary retirement and joined as member judicial Railway Claims Tribunal and remained posted at Chandigarh till 30 September 2003. Thereafter he was appointed as president District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum at Muradabad, UP and finally retired on 30 September 2006.

Mr. Naresh Chandra Bhatia is Manufacturer and Exporter of Cane Furniture ( http://www.bhatiacane.com/ ) : Being honored as "BHAMA SHAH AWARD" For achieving maximum collaboration in state Government Revenue By UTTAR PRADESH Govt.

References in Music :
A famous song of a Hindi movie containing word Bareilly was "Jhumka gira re Bareilly ke bazzar mein" & "Shurma bareilly vala akheeyo may aisa dala" (in Hindi).

Radio Stations :
There are 3 FM Radio Stations in Bareilly.

All India Radio :
Big 92.7 FM Bareilly
Radio Mantra 91.9 FM

Amusement Parks :
Bareily has got an amusement park which is known to be the best amusement park of North India named Fun City.
This Fun Park has got a number of quality rides, a disco theque, an amphitheatre and a water park named BOOND which is the only water park in North India which has got artificial water wave pool. Many Other Parks are there in Cantonment and City Area.

Cinema Halls :
There are 10 Cinema Halls in Bareilly.
Two Multiplexes are in row, One in C.B. Ganj & other one in centre of city.

Megamarts and Shopping Malls :
Butler Plaza is the most happening shopping complex of Bareilly which will soon convert into a Mall cum Multiplex. Deen Dayal Puram area is known as Connaught Place of Bareilly due to construction of high rising buildings, shopping complexes and malls.

Defense Installations :
Bareilly has a major settlement of the Indian Army's regimental headquarter of Jat Regimet, as well as an air-base (known as Trishul) of the Indian Air Force.
The Trishul air-base had foxbats aircraft which were capable of flying up to 80,000 feet. Bareilly has regional Headquarters of ITBP and BSF.

Religious Places in Bareilly :
Dargah of Ala'Hazrat Imam Ahmed Raza Khan in Bareilly, India.

Bareilly is World Famous for the Dargah of Ahle Sunnat Scholar Imam Ahmed Raza Khan. His sisila is Known as Razwi Silsila of Sufism.

Bareilly is also home to a number of famous hindu temples. It has four Nath (Shiva) temples at its four corners, Alakhnath, Tiberinath, Madhinath, and Dhopeshwarnath.

One of the well known temples is the Chunne Miyan's Lakshmi Narayan Mandir (located in Katra Manrya street near Bara Bazar), Chunne Miyan's Lakshmi Narayan Mandir Its origin goes back to the time when the Hindus Migrating from Pakistan to india at the time of partition in 1947, came to Bareilly. These migrants built a small place of worship amongst some existing ruins but later discovered that the place belonged to Fazal-Ul-Rahaman, Who was known as 'Chunne Miyan'(Muslim). He filed a claim against the illegal occupation of the land. Meanwhile, the proceedings of the temple continued. Once, HarMilapi ji Maharaj came from Haridwar to deliver a holy Sermon .

Chunne Miyan was so impressed by his sermon that he decided not only to withdraw the case but also gave financial aid for the construction of the temple . Since then the temple is popularly known as chunne miyan's mandir' and is situated in the Katra maanrai region of Koharapeer.

There is also another reputed temple of lord DoopeshwarNath which is assumed to be the place where Draupadi and Drishtadyumn was born by a grace of lord shiva in Mahabharata era.

Famous Products :
Bareilly is renowned for Kites and Manjha (kite string laced with glass).
Bareilly is famous for Surma (eye liner).
The Zari-Zardozi handicraft work is also notable.
Bareilly is also known for Cane & Bamboo Furniture.

Political Stalwarts :
Bareilly is considered to be a stronghold of BJP.

MLA - Mr. Rajesh Agarwal (BJP)
MP - Mr. Santosh Gangwar (BJP)
MAYOR - Mrs. Supriya Airan (Congress)

Transport :
Bareilly is a major Roadways and Railways center. There are approx 400 government buses operating from Bareilly region to all major cities of North India and there are trains for every important city of India. In City area a number of mode of transport are available,City Buses are available at all major routes of city. A domestic public Airport is proposed at Pilibhit bypass road near Mayur Van Chetna Kendra about 20 Km away from center of city.

Source : wikipedia