A sailor who underwent sex change operation to become a woman has reportedly been sacked. The man who felt that he was “a woman trapped in a man’s body”, is facing termination after the Indian Navy recommended to the defence ministry that “she” be discharged from service.
According to a Times of India report, confronted with the first-ever such case when the sailor returned to her INS Eksila base in Visakhapatnam after quietly undergoing the surgery in Mumbai late last year, the Navy wants her to be discharged under the SNLR (service no longer required) provision.
The Navy said the sailor had violated the terms and conditions under which she joined the force as “an Indian male citizen” seven years ago.
Notably, the Indian armed forces have been inducting women in small numbers as officers since the early 1990s, but only men are recruited as sailors, soldiers and airmen.
The TOI report suggested that there’s no specific rule or regulation to deal with sex change operations or transgender people in the armed forces.
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“After much deliberations, a show-cause notice, a medical examination and other proceedings, the Navy has decided she cannot continue as a sailor in the force,” said a source, according to the TOI report.
The sailor, who has grown her hair and wears saris, is, for now, attached to the office of the commanding officer of INS Eksila.
Seven years ago, the sailor had joined the Naval mechanical engineering wing. Once discharged, the sailor will not get any pension because it is mandatory to serve for at least 15 years to become eligible for it.
Although it is claimed that the government is trying to create space for the women in the armed forces, women officers are not allowed to serve on board sea-faring warships or join the infantry, artillery and armoured corps in the Army.
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