Women are not very easily seen in the merchant navy. However, over the last few years the trend has changed. Many women are now taking up jobs in navy. Today there are about fifty women working in the Indian merchant navy itself.

There are more women across the whole world who is taking up these professions. It has been seen that women in spite of being good with the job, usually quit the job. This is mainly because women need to take care of their families and also it is not possible for them to sail at such responsible positions during the time say they are expecting a child and need proper rest and care. Being in the navy means staying away from family for months this is exactly why women cannot continue this job for long.

Radhika Menon has been an exception to this concept. She has proved herself in the job of a captain. She is the first Indian to be appointed as a female captain. She is all of forty three now. She had a long career behind her. She has achieved a lot of success in the job. She is a hard worker and has proved herself. She accepts the fact when a woman does the job of a man she has to ensure that she does the job better than the man. The women have to be strong and they must ensure that they do the job well.

Radhika Menon feels that being the master of a ship is like running an organisation. The challenges and complications are high. However, she feels that it has nothing to do with gender. Even women can be good in Navy if given an opportunity. All that one requires is to do the job well. This is something that any woman can do.

Radhika menon was in school when she had decided that she does not want to live an ordinary life or to do a regular job. She had just completed her twelfth class exam and she got into the Indian Navy. She was recruited as trainee radio officer. This was in the year 1991. She was responsible to look at the communication system of the ship. She was the first radio officer in the country.

Gradually she cleared exams and came up in the hierarchy. She grew fast in the job. In the year 2010 she cleared the exam of master’s certificate. After clearing the exam and becoming a certified master she took charge of the MT Suvarna Swarajya. Before taking charge of this ship she had sailed in it twice.

Radhika Menon knows the art of balancing both the worlds. She is married and has a seventeen year old son. Her husband was a radio officer and he knows the pressure of the job. She has got tremendous support from her family. Her husband and son sometimes join her during the sail.

They live in Cochin. She says that it’s difficult to stay away from family for six months. However, she can make up for it as for the next six months she is at home. She spends quality time with her family. Radhika Menon has sailed all across the world. However, she prefers to sail in the Indian coasts as she gets to spend more time with her family by doing so.

Any ship that sails in India has a chance of stopping at Cochin port. If that happens she gets time with her family. Indeed this woman knows how to balance both work and career.

Radhika menon clearly admits that being a woman captain of a ship is not easy. Mainly because it is a job, that only men have been doing. However, slowly the crew members realised that she is good with her job and they accept the fact that even a woman can be a master.

We hope that more women take up the example of Radhika Menon and they chose this profession. In the next few years we may see many more women joining and proving themselves in the job. We feel that the family of the women joining the navy support them too.

If you like this article, you would like to read about female marines as well.

First Female Captain Of India, 8.9 out of 10 based on 13 ratings