"Govt has given women their rightful place in Armed Forces": Rajnath singh on inaguration of Samvid Gurukulam Girls Sainik School

Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 1 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday inaugurated Samvid Gurukulam Girls Sainik School at Vrindavan in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh.
"The first all-girls Sainik School, with a strength of approx. 870 students, has been inaugurated under the initiative of establishing 100 new Sainik Schools in partnership mode with NGOs/Private/State Government Schools in all State/Union Territories, of which 42 have been set up. These are in addition to the existing 33 Sainik Schools already functioning under the erstwhile pattern," as per a press release from Rajnath Singh's office.
Speaking on the occasion, Rajnath Singh described Samvid Gurukulam Girls Sainik School as a beacon of light for girls who aspire to join the Armed Forces and serve the motherland.
"Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has given women their rightful place in the Armed Forces, which was neglected for years," said the Defence Minister.
He said that they have the right to protect the nation, just like their male counterparts.
"It was a golden moment in the history of women's empowerment when we approved the admission of girls to Sainik schools. Today, our women are not only flying fighter jets; they are also securing the borders," he added.
It may be recalled that Rajnath Singh had, in 2019, approved admission of girl children to Sainik schools with effect from academic session 2021-22 in a phased manner. The decision was taken following the success of the pilot project started by the Ministry of Defence in Sainik School Chhingchhip in Mizoram.
The objectives behind the vision of setting up 100 new Sainik schools are to provide quality education to the students in tune with the National Education Policy 2020 and give them better career opportunities, including joining the Armed Forces.
"It also gives an opportunity to the private sector to work hand-in-hand with the government towards nation-building by refining today's youth to become responsible citizens of tomorrow," the release added.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and senior officials of the state government were among those present during the inauguration of Samvid Gurukulam Girls Sainik School, Vrindavan. (ANI)