Punjab in blood, India at heart

Come this academic session, Punjab would get an exclusive institute to train women warriors from the state to feed the country's armed forces, adding another feather to the cap of the land of the martial race that is famously known as the nursery of forces.
Named after Mai Bhago, a Sikh woman warrior who fought the Mughals in 17th century, the institute would exclusively groom girls from Punjab to ensure their entry into the forces.It would be the country's first preparatory institution for girls. A parliamentary committee on defence had recommended opening of preparatory institutions to ensure women entry into the forces in the 15th Lok Sabha.
According to the plan, an exclusive group of 25 young girls from Punjab would be inducted as cadets in the institute , after qualifying their XII class examination. A team of highly-trained professionals would prepare them to join the armed forces for three years.
They would be admitted to a college by the institute for completion of their graduation. They will have to compulsorily stay at the institute's hostel, where they would be prepared for written examinations as well as interviews for the various forces.
During their admission to the institute, the girls will have to give an undertaking to join the forces upon their selection, failing which the entire expenses incurred by the government on their training would be reimbursed from them.
Setup in six-acre area at sector-66 Mohali, the institute is in its final stage of completion and authorities have initiated recruitment of retired women officers to manage the affairs of institute.
The brain behind the institute, Major General B S Grewal, who has been deputy commandant of the prestigious National Defence Academy, says that girls from Punjab are physically, mentally and morally strong and if they are prepared to join the forces, they could prove great leaders and fighters. Gen Grewal is presently the director of armed force preparatory institute (boys) Mohali. He shares that they are contacting some Chandigarh-based college so that the trainees could complete their regular studies while they train at the institute.
Legend
Mai Bhago also known as Mata Bhag Kaur was a Sikh woman who led 40 Sikh soldiers against the Mughals in 1705. She killed several enemy soldiers in the battlefield and is considered as a saint warrior. She was the sole survivor of the Battle of Khidrana, also known as the Battle of Muktsar (fought on December 29, 1705). A Keski tied around her head, donning the Khalsa uniform and kirpan in hand, she is believed to be the first woman in the history of Punjab to fight on a battlefield