TIA WEB DESK
Wing Commander Pooja Thakur, who became famous overnight after leading a Guard of Honour for US President Barack Obama last year has acused her organisation the Indian Air Force (IAF) of discriminating agaisnt her.
She has approached the Armed Forces Tribunal after being denied full service in the IAF.
The 37-year-old officer says in her petition that the IAF’s decision to deny her permanent commission is “biased, discriminatory, arbitrary and unreasonable”.
The Air Force has been asked to respond in four weeks. Pooja Thakur’s lawyer said it is “not a gender issue” but a procedural one.
“IAF says Pooja Thakur was offered permanent commission in 2012, she declined it then and it can be offered only once. No new offer can be given,” said her lawyer, retired Major S Pandey.
“She had said no only because she was temporarily not willing at the time,” he added.
Wing Commander Thakur became the first woman officer to lead a tri-services Guard of Honour last year when President Obama visited India for the Republic Day parade.
Mr Obama had said later at an event that the sight of “incredible” Indian women in the armed forces was one of his “favourite things” in India.
The daughter of an army colonel, the Rajasthan officer joined the Air Force in 2000.