53

The first round of training was at Ambala Cantt.  Lieutenant Dharini's training was full of hardships.  The fellow officers were hostile like the climate outside.  She had had no problems with the platoon but the non cooperation of the officers was bugging her up.  She was unable to understand their mindset.  But her taking part in any discussion was appalling for others.  Every time she opened her mouth, she was snubbed ruthlessly! Sometimes she did have valid points but when her suggestion was not upto the standard, she was made fun of, making her sound like a fool.  They were only three girls among 63 in the training batch.  She was confident of surviving as she had a strong mechanical engineering background.  She was fast to pick up and learn but was always sidelined for being a girl.  Her frustration level mounting, she prayed for her final posting to Drass... meaning "Hell" in the local dialect.  She was ready to take on the hell, head on ...!

"Why am I being sidelined everytime?" she had no answer.  Her co-male officers hated her, specially her as she was vocal enough to protest and raise her voice.  The other two female JCOs (Junior commissioned officers) prefered to be silent though they too detested the male chauvinistic attitude...!

Till last decade Indian Army was all men affair, and the officers took pride in it.  There seemed to be water tight compartment.  The female cadre was to serve in medical hospitals or other triveal services, but not on the battle field.  The officers couldn't bear the presence of women in their territory.  The hostility was severe on the borders...! There were few who didn't mind women invading their prerogative but the number was too less.  The women officers had to fight out their way up.  Tackling the hostility of their own men was more energy consuming than actually fighting on the battle field again the enemy.  Rini's frustration was mounting by the day. 

On the other hand, the jawans had no problems what so ever dealing with female officers.  They were to obey orders and they did.  There was no resistance from the jawans.  Rini led a portion of the platoon of 120 Jawans and had had no problems at all dealing with them.  They were experienced in maintenance and repair work in Militery Engineering Services and Dharini was happy working with them.  

But the problem was with the male officers.  The gender bias was so strong, that she found it impossible to negotiate such hostile situation.  They couldn't digest the fact that someone, from the opposite, weaker sex was sitting next to them, shouldering equally and proving herself...! The hostility was increasing by the day ...! The only positive point was that there was no sabotage, as the interest of the nation was the common factor and priority of everyone...! The efforts were to be doubled to bring herself upto their level and get recognition. 

"Focus, Rini... Focus!" Dharini reprimanded herself meditating to calm herself down, from the effects of a particularly humiliating session in the workshop, with her face smeared with greese and oil...! She had found out the fault finally to the shock of her fellow maintenance officers.  But the humiliation had taken toll on her.  She badly needed a break.  She prayed and waited desperately for her training period to get over.  Ambala camp was the worst phase of her life; That's what she thought.  But the worst was yet to come....!

***************
She looked up with wide eyes.  "What? What are you thinking, Dhatri?" her friend Ragini asked her. 
"Is it compulsory to apply?" came a aghast question from Dhatri and Ragini shook her head hopelessly. 
"Dhatri, wake up... This is the first company interviewing the sixth sem students...!" Ragini said exasperated at Dhatri's reaction.  "Umm... ok!" came a reluctant response from Dhatri as she got up from her bed.

"New headache... campus interviews... big deal...!" she mutterred moving towards the bathroom.  Entire campus bustled with the campus recruitment activity... ! The notice boards were overflowing with the notifications, the cut off scores, the written aptitude tests schedules, the venue... The entire college gathered around the notice boards and loud discussion disturbed the staff...! Dhatri's heart took a somersault with a knot in her stomach... !

"Thank god! Rini Didi is not here!" she thanked her marimai...oblivious of Rini's informants in the hostel.  The final year students wore seriousness on their faces and sixth semester students, excitement.  Company like IBM was the one to start the campus recruitment activity of the college.  Dhatri was an exception.  She had no interest in applying, thogh she passed the first hurdle of cut off scores. 

She stood before the deserted notice board at the other end of the corridor, blankly looking at the crowd gathered at the far end.  Her eyes fell on the small notification, a paper cutting stuck to the soft board and her face lit up.  She read and re-read it.  The Giri Premi, trekk group had called for trekkers to join on a weekend treck to Barusot.  She looked at the dates...! Her eyes flashed.  The dates were clashing with the campus interviews.  She hurriedly noted down the contact number.  She had now a reason to skip the campus interviews.  "Hi hi... Sorry, IBM... you will miss me, you know!! I have other engagement... Sorry!" she grinned looking at the distant crowd. 

"But... Didi...!" Dhatri pleaded but Rini was not to give in.  "Dhaa... I know... your scores are just enough to appear for the aptitude.... Just apply...!" Rini commanded.  Dhatri stomped in frustration.  "But.. Didi.. I have already enrolled for the trekk... I have paid money... It will go waste...!" She protested weakly flashing angry looked at wicked Ragini and Purva. 

"Dhaa... campus is more important... If you get into IBM nothing like it!" Dharini was practical but Dhatri for the first time was set to defy her didi's orders.  "Rini Didi, please..." she begged but Rini had hung up.  Dhatri looked at Ragini's wicked smile and understood.

"You... you... spy... you told Rini didi!" she accused.  Purva nodded grinning.  "Yeah.. we didn't know, you were not interested... Didi asked us about campus activity ...!" she said giving hi five to Ragini and Dhatri stomped out of the hostel room. 

"What? What happened..?" she ran towards the entrance seeing the rector collapsing on the floor and a figure vanishing in the darkness.  Dhatri ran forward ....