In March, news agency ANI reporter Lokesh covered a story of Commando Sunaina Patel posted in the Naxal hit area of Chhattisgarh. The story that broke the internet on International Women’s Day was special not only because she was a woman commando but because she continued to patrol the area while she was 8-months pregnant. Sunaina is a commando in the elite anti-Naxal unit In Chhattisgarh.
Commando Sunaina joined the unit during pregnancy last year
According to the reports, she joined the unit with 2-month pregnancy. She never stepped back from her duties and decided to take rest only when her officers asked her to take it easy in the advanced stages of pregnancy. During her patrolling days, she was carrying a full load of weapons, including AK-47 and a backpack that weighed around ten KG.
Sunaina Patel, 8-month-old pregnant woman deployed as Danteshwari fighter in District Reserve Guard to combat Naxals in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada: I was 2-months pregnant when I joined. I never refused to perform my duties. Today also if I’m asked I’ll do it with utmost sincerity. pic.twitter.com/6tUOruZsbz
— ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2020
In a recent tweet, ANI reporter Tanmay informed that Sunaina had given birth to a healthy baby girl. He added to his tweet that both mother and child are healthy. He also posted a few photographs of Sunaina with her daughter.
कमांडो सुनैना की बिटिया भी हो गई है,,,, प्रेग्नेंसी के दौरान भी कमांडो सुनैना ने नक्सलियों को खदेड़ने के लिए दंतेवाड़ा के जंगलों में गश्त की है…..बच्ची और मां दोनों स्वास्थ है….यह स्टोरी ANI दंतेवाड़ा के हमारे रिपोर्टर लोकेश ने की थी….सलाम है कमांडो सुनैना के जज्बे को..🙏 https://t.co/5cZ9vUP6Fl pic.twitter.com/2lRmXdWGdo
— Tanmay @ANI (@SakalleyTanmay) June 6, 2020
She has suffered miscarriage before
Abhishek Pallav, SP Dantewada, said that Sunaina had suffered a miscarriage before while performing her duties. Even though she was reluctant to go off duty, her officers asked her to take proper rest as everyone was concerned for the wellbeing of the mother and the child. He added that her contributions are inspiring many women to join the anti-Naxal force.
Social media flooded with wishes
After learning about Sunaina’s daughter, many users on social media wished good health and happiness for mother and daughter. Many called her inspiration for the young generation, and her story will motivate more women to join forces against anti-India elements.
Women DRGs aka District Reserve Guard Danteshwari Fighters
Commando Sunaina Patel is part of the Women DRG unit that was constituted in May 2019. It is an elite anti-Naxal unit posted in the Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh. It is the only unit with a team of women DRGs that perform regular patrolling in the Naxal-hit areas against Maoist cadres.
