Visakhapatnam :

Contrary to the belief that brunches, kitty parties and high tea keep them occupied while their husbands are out at sea for months together guarding the coastline, wives of Navy officers  are busy juggling their own careers with hectic personal and social lives. These group of over 10,000 women also do take out time for their ilk in order to uphold the tradition of Naval Wives’ Welfare Association (NWWA).

There are doctors, lecturers, journalists and IT professionals among wives of several Navy officers in the city. The president of NWWA and wife of Eastern Naval Command chief, Ragini Chopra , herself works with Jet Airways. Then there are daring women like commanding officer Captain Mahesh Singh’s wife Manita Singh, who runs Balwari School, an institution for the underprivileged, and also takes part in daredevil acts like jackstay during combat demos of war ships. “I enjoy moving from one Naval base to another as it’s exciting and offers new experiences. I would like my two children to also join the defence forces,” says Manita Singh.

Kaushalya Suresh, vice-president of NWWA, Kalinga Naval Station, Vizag, adds, “Once married to a Navy officer or sailor, one automatically becomes a member. Here, around 300 wives are active NWWA members and participate in all activities. The hierarchy depends on the husband’s corresponding position.”

NWWA members are used to a hectic life with their husbands usually getting transferred every two-three years. “Accommodation becomes a problem during transfers, and each time we have to start afresh,” says Kaushalya.

And in this on-going Navy Week celebrations, NWWA members have their hands full. At the Kalinga Naval Station, they are involved in over a dozen group activities. These include environment awareness activities through Prakriti group, while Ashirwad caters to the needs of senior citizens and Jagriti deals with educational needs of the underprivileged children. Sparsh or Outreach group reaches out to destitute women, orphans and the underprivileged among civilians in villages around the base.

Sakhi is a counselling group for NWWA members, Sahara on the other hand deals with empowerment and rehabilitation of Navy widows and Arogya addresses health issues, including health cards for all women and compulsory medical check-ups.

There’s also Sankalp, a centre for the spastic and differently-abled children and Pragati Udyogika to help set up cottage industries and empower women with skills, even as Tarangini showcases cultural talents of NWWA women and Shilpika looks after artistic endeavours that eventually find a place in the NWWA shop.

Lachmi Deb Roy, a lecturer and freelancer, feels NWWA offers the right platform for deep bonding and personal growth. “Though frequent transfers can be disturbing, it makes one more adaptable and the community spirit widens ones perspective, social network and boosts confidence. When my husband was away for two years in a foreign country, I single-handedly brought up my little son while managing my job. In such difficult times, bonding with NWWA members through picnics, parties, community service keeps us fully engaged,” she said.

Talking about upcoming activities such as medical camps in nearby villages and opening of NWWA store, NWWA president Ragini Chopra, concludes, “Life is hectic for the wives as well but it’s good to see so many Navy wives coming forward to actively participate in the works of NWWA. There’s a lot of talent that needs to be given the right exposure.”

source:  http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Visakhapatnam / TNN / November 29th, 2012