Few arenas in the annals of legal history have witnessed as profound a transformation as the realm of gender equality within the armed forces.
In Her Defence: Ten Landmark Judgments on Women in the Armed Forces is an anthology of essays and commentaries, in layperson terms, contributed by jurists, judges and academics on landmark constitutional court decisions of India that made a difference or brought about a positive change for women in the uniformed forces.
It is envisaged as not just a book, but a testament to the resilience, determination and legal triumphs of women who have paved the way for greater gender inclusivity and parity within India’s armed forces.
Meticulously curated to illuminate the pivotal judgments that have shaped the trajectory of women’s participation in the armed forces of India, this book stands as a cornerstone and embodiment of the judiciary’s unwavering dedication to upholding the principles of equality and justice.
Navdeep Singh is a practising lawyer at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh. He is also the founder president of the Armed Forces Tribunal Bar Association in Chandigarh. Navdeep has been a volunteer–reservist with the Territorial Army in the rank of major in the past. He has been decorated with a record eleven commendations from the army, air force and tri-service institutions for his work for the military community and veterans and other issues confronting the defence services. Besides constitutional and civil and military service matters, he has enthusiastically worked in the fields of rights of disabled soldiers, military widows, civil and military pensioners and on the subject of gender discrimination. He has worked for global reforms in military justice and improvement of tribunals in India. He has also dealt with landmark litigation on tribunalization till the Supreme Court of India.
When not in court, he’s probably engrossed in listening to ‘Purple Rain’ or dissecting pop culture.
Shivani Dasmahapatra is a public policy and communications specialist. Her professional experience of three decades is diverse and ranges from consulting members of Parliament, corporate enterprises, and non-profit organizations to journalism, photography, editing and social media management. Born into a family with three generations in the Indian Army, she has a deep interest in Indian military history. Currently, as founder trustee of Lest We Forget India Foundation, she provides crucial support to the families of Indian Armed Forces personnel. Through the foundation’s social media presence, she chronicles India’s military history through stories of service and sacrifice of India’s soldiers and keeps their legacy alive. Shivani is a seasoned writer and editor, having worked with India Today, Encyclopedia Britannica and numerous national publications.
On the rare occasion that you catch her outside of work, it will be undertaking farming in the Himalayan hills in north India or trekking with her family and pet Basset Hound.
