Imphal, November 12 2008: General concept of fright and inhibition against the Indian Army by the people, particularly in a State like Manipur could be erased when one joins active service as the career option is highly satisfactory, suggests Manipur's first lady Lieutenant in the Indian Army Thokchom Bembem Chanu.

Bembem, who is serving in the Indian Army's Education Corps is the first in this sector even though Manipur has produced three of lady officers so far.

Sharing her excitement upon joining the Indian Army while on her 30 days leave, Bembem confided to mediapersons today that from her early childhood she was attracted to serve in the Army and subsequently appeared in the Services Selection Board examination held at Allahabad which had about 50,000 aspirants.

bembem, who hails from Thoubal district's Keirak Yawabung Leikai, passed the said recruitment exercise for enrolment of 105 officers in the Army's 16th batch among the top 30 in merit list.

The second child among three daughters and two sons born to Th Kungo Meitei, who is a section Officer in the State's Irrigation and Flood Control Department, and Kunjarani a teacher, Bembem completed Masters course in Chemistry from Hyderabad Central University in 2005 and did research in breast cancer as a part of Bio-modelling Scientist for a one year period.

Bembem also recounted of having her early education in her native village as well as at Imphal before heading to Bangalore's Oxford College of Science from where she graduated in Microbiology.

As her stint as a research scientist in bio-modelling could not satisfy her, Bembem reportedly abandoned the first career opportunity after only a year out of five years required for completion of the research course and opted for the Indian Army through the SSB examination.

She revelled on joining the Army after undergoing six months rigour at the Officer's Training Academy, Chennai which the lady officer described as a highly satisfactory transformation period of her life.

cherishing the indian Army's three most important facets of rule, punctuality and discipline, Bembem nevertheless conceded that every service including the Army has its dark side but pledged to work with dedication to project the armed service in the best possible light.

She also affirmed that Indian Army is neither biased nor should the people be apprehensive in their attitude towards the armed service as well as its personnel as one can discover the excitement and job satisfaction guaranteed on joining the Indian Army.

Bembem initially joined as an officer in the Short Service Commission scheme with her service gradually absorbed as permanent Commission Officer which is said to be an essential criteria in the Army's non-combatant section such as Education Corp and Judicial Advocate General Corp.

She also shared her desire to aim for higher post in the Army.

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