Meet India's first women guides at the Southern command's national war memorial

PUNE: Vijaya Sakpal, a war widow of Naik Sandeep, who passed away in September last year due to medical reasons, could never have imagined that one day she would be able to stand and speak even a sentence on any subject publicly.
She was in depression after the untimely demise of her husband, who served in the Corps of Artillery of the Army. Her battle was such that she went into depression for a few weeks, thinking about the bleak future of her life.
However, her life changed completely when she learned about the opportunity to become a guide at the Southern Command's National War Memorial. She had never thought of this role in her wildest dreams.
The command trained four 'Veer Naris' as guides for their memorial - the first initiative of its kind in the country. They were selected based on their skills.

Lacking confidence, having never pursued higher studies, and growing up in a remote village in Patan tehsil in Satara, Vijaya faced the first tough battle of her life. With training and strong support from her colleagues, she stands strong and confident today as one of the guides at the war memorial.
"I cannot imagine this transformation in me," Vijaya told TOI at the memorial.
Clad in a coveted maroon-coloured specially made blazer with a smile, she said, "After the death of my husband, I never imagined that one day I would ever play this role in my life."
"But my senior guides supported me mentally and literally pulled me out of my world of depression within a few weeks. Today, I have been given the responsibility of covering the Maratha Gallery. I talk about Maratha and South Indian history," she added.

Her preparations have been a unique experience for her.
She said, "At the initial stage, I could not recall or remember even two sentences because of a lack of confidence. But with other guides and constant support, I began to believe in myself. Today, I am confident about my role. I can talk about my gallery for half an hour. It is no less than an achievement for me."
The journey of Sharda Umbarkar, the wife of an Army veteran, is no less intriguing than Vijaya's.
She was given the responsibility to talk about the 'munition gallery', where several types of artillery and infantry ammunition are on display.
"I did not know any ammunition. I was unable to pronounce their names. I did not know anything about fuses, munitions, and how they function. I found my own ways to remember these ammunitions. I pasted the names of these ammunitions on bottles in my kitchen so that I could remember their names and functions properly," she said with a big smile on her face.
These guides have undergone exhaustive training that goes beyond the requirements of a standard tour guide. They have been educated about military history, and public speaking skills, and have also developed deep knowledge about the War Memorial’s exhibits. The training has not only enhanced their professional capabilities but has also augmented their confidence and self-reliance, said the officials from the Southern Command.
Another guide, Kalyani Bhosale, the wife of a serving soldier who studied English literature, handles the most critical and crucial section of the memorial.
She talks about the ship, aircraft, and Param Vir Chakra gallery.
Kalyani has been confident about this role as she has been anchoring during social events for the last few years.
The confident Kalyani said, "It is a proud moment for us."
"We have prepared hard for this role. A private guide, who works at the Shanirwarwada, also explained various aspects of the role. I have practised hard for it in the last few months," she said.
"This job gives you satisfaction when you answer queries raised by the visitors confidently," said Kalyani.
Facing school children is a tough task, said Kalyani, "They have numerous questions. And what is important for us is to explain in their terms. For that, your understanding of the subject is the most essential part of the job."
Mukta Chavan, the wife of a serving Subedar and senior member of the team, has conducted several classes for nursery teachers under the Army Wives Welfare Association initiative in the past.
"For me, it was not that difficult a task. But what was challenging for me was to remember every aspect of the museum gallery where I talked about the uniform of the three services, key battles that took place in Southern Command, Army commanders and their achievements, gallantry medals, and 24 training institutes under the command," she said.
What is peculiar and palpable among these guides is the unity among them. They work as a team and complement each other time and again.
"People come here to witness the museum. But we come here to provide them with knowledge about the rich history of the Indian Army," said Chavan.
"We aim to motivate children to join the armed forces and serve the nation. Even if one school student gets inspired by our guidance, it would be our ultimate satisfaction and the biggest achievement of the team," said Bhosale, with a proud expression on her face.