Major Ponung Doming becomes first woman Lt. Colonel from Arunachal Pradesh

On September 23, Major Ponung Doming became the first woman from Arunachal Pradesh to reach the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian army.

Wednesday September 25, 2019 , 2 min Read

On Monday, Major Ponung Doming from Arunachal Pradesh was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, making her the first woman from the state to reach this milestone.

She was also congratulated by the state's chief minister, Pema Khandu, for her achievement.

A proud moment for all of us...

Major #PonungDoming creates history. She is first woman Army officer from #Arunachal to be elevated to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the #IndianArmy.

Hearty congratulations and best wishes! @adgpi pic.twitter.com/O33LbNWTsL
— Pema Khandu (@PemaKhanduBJP) September 23, 2019

According to a report by Northeast Now, Ponung Doming is the daughter of Olom Doming and Jimmi Dai Doming, and hails from GTC, Pasighat, under the East Siang district.

She did her schooling from Govt. Daying Ering Higher Secondary School, and graduated from grade 12 at IGJ Govt. Higher Secondary School, both in Pasighat.

In 2005, she studied civil engineering from Walchand College of Engineering, Maharashtra. After she graduated, she worked at L&T Kolkata for two years, while preparing for the Service Selection Board, Allahabad.

In 2008, she made her way into the Indian army, and joined the Officers Training Academy, Chennai. In 2013, she rose to the position of Major, becoming the first woman from Arunachal Pradesh to do so.

In 2014, Ponung Doming also briefly joined the United Nations Peacekeeping Force mission in 2014 in Congo.

This year, women in the defence forces of India have been making strides, creating history as pioneers in the field. Some of these incredible women are Indian Air Force (IAF) officer Shaliza Dhami who became India's first woman Flight Commander, Wing Commander Anjali Singh who became India's first woman military diplomat, and IAF Squadron Leader Minty Agarwal who became the first woman to receive the Yudh Seva medal.

It was also announced in August that for the first time, women officers under the Short Service Commission (SSC) in the Indian army will be eligible for Permanent Commission (PC). Improving the careers of more than 3,700 existing women officers in the three services, the move also aims to provide a full-length career opportunity for women in the future.

(Edited by Rekha Balakrishnan)