Call her a soldier, a doctor or a teacher, Lieutenant General Madhuri Kanitkar has taken on all these roles with great determination and pride. She is always at the forefront, in whatever she undertakes. The third female Lieutenant General in the history of India, she has broken society-perceived stereotypes for which she credits her parents for never considering gender an obstacle to achieving one’s dreams and instilling an attitude of nothing is impossible in her.
On 29 February 2020, Lieutenant General Madhuri Kanitkar put on her ranks after her promotion. The armed forces predominantly have male workers, but not dominated by gender stereotypes. She states that all her roles, be it a soldier, a teacher, a doctor has nothing to do with gender.
She cites that she cannot remember a single instance where she had to fight for her ‘rights’ on grounds of gender. Any person required to wear multiple hats needs to be tough to scale the heights of success. She further talks about her journey as to how facing challenges and turning them into opportunities has helped her grow as an individual.
Lieutenant General Madhuri Kanitkar has now been posted to Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff under the Chief of Defence Staff. Let’s have a look at some inspiring facts related to her:-
She joined the Armed Forces against the will of her parents
Despite being a CBSE topper and a National Science Talent scholar could have joined any medical college, but it was the uniform that beckoned her and much against the wish of her parents she joined the Armed Forces Medical College.
She excelled in all three phases of her MBBS
She joined the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune in 1978. She placed first in Pune University in all three phases of her MBBS.
She was awarded the President’s Gold Medal for the best outgoing student of the graduate wing in academics and extra-curricular activities, apart from the Kalinga Trophy for excellence in academics.
This didn’t stop her from learning further
She was commissioned in the Army Medical Corps in December 1982 and did her post-graduation in 1990, earning the Doctor of Medicine degree in Pediatrics. Post that she underwent training in Pediatric Nephrology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. In addition to this, she has also completed fellowships at the National University Hospital, Singapore and the Great Ormond Street Hospital, London and the FAIMER fellowship in Medical Education.
Here are some of the esteemed posts she held throughout
- She has tenanted appointments of Associate Professor, Professor and Head of Department of Pediatrics at the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune. She has also served as a Professor at the Army College of Medical Sciences and at the Army hospital (Research & Referral).
- Kanitkar has served as the Deputy Director-General Armed Forces Medical Services (Dy DGAFMS) in the office of the DGAFMS in New Delhi.
- On 28 January 2017, she assumed the office of Dean and Deputy Commandant of her alma-mater Armed Forces Medical College, Pune post which she served as Major General Medical at the Northern Command at Udhampur.
- Kanitkar was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General on 29 February 2020. The Director-General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) and her husband pipped the Epaulettes of her new rank.
- Gen Kanitkar has been awarded the GOC-in-C Commendation Card and has been awarded the Chief of the Army Staff Commendation Card five times.
- She was also awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in 2014 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2018.
Team IndoreHD salutes women of such grit and perseverance who have made the country proud, are no lesser than men!