Meet Captain Shiva Chouhan: 1st Woman Officer Deployed at Siachen’s Kumar Post
Captain Shiva Chouhan of the Indian Army’s Corps of Engineers etched her name in military history in January 2023 when she became the first woman officer to be operationally deployed at Kumar Post on the Siachen Glacier — the world’s highest battlefield. Stationed at an altitude of approximately 15,632 feet, her deployment marked a significant milestone in the progressive integration of women officers into the most demanding operational environments of the Indian Armed Forces.
Her achievement, accomplished after rigorous high-altitude training and with the full support of her regiment and higher formations, stands as a testament to professional competence, physical endurance, and unwavering commitment. It has inspired countless defence aspirants and underscored the capabilities of women officers in combat engineering roles at extreme altitudes.
Early Life and Family Background
Captain Chouhan hails from Udaipur in Rajasthan. Her formative years were shaped by resilience and strong family support. Her father passed away when she was just 11 years old. In the years that followed, her mother, a housewife, took on the responsibility of nurturing her education and academic development single-handedly. Her elder sister also played a pivotal role, helping her hone presentation skills and providing consistent encouragement.
From an early age, Captain Chouhan nurtured a deep aspiration to serve in the Indian Armed Forces. Her family, particularly her mother, actively fostered this ambition. The values of discipline, perseverance, and service instilled during her upbringing laid the foundation for her subsequent journey into military service.
Academic Pursuits and Determination
Captain Chouhan completed her schooling in Udaipur before pursuing higher education. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Techno NJR Engineering College (NJR Institute of Technology), Udaipur, in 2020. Her choice of civil engineering proved highly relevant to the technical and operational demands of the Corps of Engineers, where infrastructure development, mobility support, and combat engineering tasks are critical.
Her path to the Army was marked by persistence. She appeared for the Services Selection Board (SSB) interviews for the SSC-Tech 25 entry and achieved success on her third attempt — receiving recommendations in all three attempts. In March 2020, she secured the prestigious All India Rank 1 at 19 SSB Allahabad. This exceptional performance highlighted her leadership potential, communication skills, and suitability for a commission in the Indian Army.
Commissioning and Early Military Service
Following her success at the SSB, Captain Chouhan joined the Officers’ Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai. She was commissioned into the Indian Army in May 2021 as an officer in the Engineering Regiment. She was subsequently posted to the Fire and Fury Corps, with specific association to the Sura Soi Engineer Regiment.
Her early service demonstrated both technical acumen and leadership initiative. Within her first year, she was entrusted with significant responsibilities that showcased her ability to lead troops in challenging high-altitude conditions.
The Sura Soi Cycling Expedition: A Testament to Grit
In July 2022, on the occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas, Captain Chouhan led the Sura Soi Cycling Expedition from the Siachen War Memorial to the Kargil War Memorial. Covering a demanding distance of 508 kilometres over 11 days at altitudes between 9,000 and 12,000 feet, the expedition tested endurance, navigation, and team leadership under harsh mountain conditions.
Her successful leadership of this expedition, undertaken at a relatively young stage of service, earned recognition within her unit and contributed directly to her selection for the more arduous Siachen deployment. It reflected the qualities of determination and operational readiness that the Indian Army seeks in its officers.
Breaking New Ground: Deployment to Siachen Glacier
Following her performance in the cycling expedition and demonstrated competence, Captain Chouhan was selected for operational deployment to the Siachen Glacier. She underwent one month of specialised training at the Siachen Battle School alongside her male counterparts. The training regimen included endurance exercises, ice-wall climbing, avalanche and crevasse rescue techniques, survival drills, and comprehensive acclimatisation to the extreme environment.
On or around 2 January 2023, she was inducted to Kumar Post at the Siachen Glacier for a three-month operational tenure. This made her the first woman officer to serve in an operational capacity at this historic and strategically vital post. Previously, women officers had generally been posted at lower altitudes or in non-operational roles in the sector.
As an Engineer officer, Captain Chouhan was tasked with leading a team of sappers in critical combat engineering assignments. These included the construction and maintenance of helipads and other essential infrastructure that supports operational mobility and logistics in one of the most inhospitable terrains on Earth. She held responsibility for multiple posts under her command and for the welfare and operational effectiveness of the soldiers under her leadership.
