In line with the national vision of “women empowerment” and the demonstration of “Nari Shakti,” the Indian Army is establishing two Army Girls Sports Companies (AGSC) in a phased manner. These AGSCs will be located at two Army Centers of Excellence: the Army Marksmanship Unit in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, and the Army Sports Institute in Pune. The AGSCs are scheduled to be fully operational from April 2024.
These companies aim to train young girls from across the country in Shooting, Archery, Athletics, Boxing, and Weightlifting. The goal is to identify young talent, provide them with formal education, and train them to become champions in their respective sporting disciplines. The Army has selected these locations for their world-class training infrastructure, sports medicine center, rehabilitation facility, and coaching facilities.
The Indian Army has a wealth of experience in scouting for young talent, as demonstrated by the success of the Boys Sports Companies. The young talent identified at the AGSCs will benefit from the presence of senior Army teams and athletes who also train at these locations. The senior athletes will serve as a source of motivation for the young girls, helping them emulate international athletes and develop the necessary skills.
The establishment of the AGSCs is aligned with India’s sports policy to achieve more podium finishes at the Olympics. Girls at the AGSCs will have the opportunity for recruitment as direct entry Non-Commissioned Officers and Direct Entry Junior Commissioned Officers, as well as enrollment as Agniveers.
Subedar Preeti Rajak, a champion trap shooter and Asian Games Silver medalist, was identified as talent and enrolled as a Havildar in the Corps of Military Police in December 2022. She was the first woman soldier to be promoted to Subedar in January 2024. She trains at the Army Marksmanship Unit in Mhow, where one of the two Army Girls Sports Companies is being established.
Similarly, Jasmine Lamboria, a Bronze medalist in the Commonwealth Games 2022, was enrolled as a non-commissioned officer in the Indian Army in October 2022. These role models will inspire the incoming young talent to strive for sporting glory in their respective fields.