The officer was posted at the Kumar post, located at an altitude of around 15,600 feet in Siachen in January 2023, for a three-month stint.

Breaking the glass ceiling, Captain Shiva Chauhan of Fire and Fury Corps became the first woman officer to to be operationally deployed in Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield.  Before her deployment, Chauhan was put through a rigorous one-month training including endurance training, ice wall climbing, avalanche and crevasse rescue and survival drills, at the Siachen Battle School alongside other officers of the Indian Army. “In spite of various challenges, Captain Shiva with unflinching commitment successfully completed the training and was all set to be inducted to the Siachen Glacier”, the Army had said in a statement.

PM Modi on January 3 lauded her deployment saying this highlights the spirit of India’s “Nari Shakti”. “This will make every Indian proud, illustrating the spirit of India’s Nari Shakti”, he tweeted.

Captain Shiva Chauhan who hails from Rajasthan, is a Bengal Sapper Officer. She did her schooling from Udaipur and graduated from NJR Institute of Technology, Udaipur, in civil engineering.

“Since her childhood, Chauhan was motivated to join the Indian Armed Forces and showcased unparalleled zeal during training at Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai and was commissioned into the Engineer Regiment in May 2021”, the Army had said.