GRACE UNDER FIRE: The Remarkable Journey of Dr Vijayalakshmi Ramanan

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GRACE UNDER FIRE: The Remarkable Journey of Dr Vijayalakshmi Ramanan

Uncategorized October 31, 2025 , by Goan Observer Team

By Prema Viswanathan

FIVE years after her passing, Wing Commander (Dr) Vijayalakshmi Ramanan, VSM — the first woman to be commissioned in the Indian Air Force — continues to inspire generations with her courage, compassion, and commitment.
When Dr Vijayalakshmi Ramanan — or Viji, as she was fondly known in her family — was growing up, her role models were Sarojini Naidu, the legendary poet, political activist and freedom fighter, and Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy, the first woman surgeon in Madras presidency and a committed social reformer and educator. Both were women of fierce independence and courage, and Viji was to follow a similar path, breaking barriers in medicine and the military with quiet determination and grace.

A Trailblazer in the Armed Forces
IN 1955, Viji created history when she became the first woman to be commissioned as an officer in the Indian Air Force. Her induction into the Armed Forces Medical Service was not only a personal achievement but also a symbolic moment for Indian women, signalling that competence and commitment could transcend gender.
Trained as an obstetrician and gynaecologist, she served in Air Force hospitals across India — including Jalahalli, Secunderabad, and Kanpur — offering medical care to service personnel and their families with compassion and precision. Her postings often coincided with turbulent times: she served through the wars of the 1960s, frequently on call for emergencies that stretched late into the night.
Viji was a legend in our family (she was my mother’s cousin), and we were all deeply inspired by her courage, commitment and grace. Her son, Sukmar Ramanan, recalls her discipline and stamina: “Sleep was never a priority for her. She would return from an emergency case early in the morning, shower, get back into uniform and report for duty as if it were a normal day.”
Her unwavering dedication earned her the Vishisht Seva Medal, one of the nation’s highest recognitions for distinguished military service.

Discipline, Integrity, and Compassion
THOSE who worked with her remember her uncompromising professional ethics. Her daughter, Sukanya Narayan, who followed her mother’s path into social service, says: “She didn’t understand the need for diplomacy. She would not brook any mediocrity in patient care and was very blunt about it. Hence, the only people who loved her at her workplace were her patients and their families — and they would do anything for her.”
At home, the same values shaped her children’s upbringing. Viji was a firm disciplinarian but also deeply affectionate. Her children recall how movie outings were often interrupted by messages summoning her back to the hospital, or how the family had to cut short their summer vacation in 1966 when war was declared and she was called back to base.

Breaking Barriers Before Barriers Existed
VIJI’S journey had begun much earlier in Madras (now Chennai), where her father, TD Narayana Iyer, recognised her aptitude and encouraged her to study medicine. At Madras Medical College, she was the only woman in her class — a rarity in the 1940s. She took it in her stride, graduating with distinction and earning the respect of peers and professors alike.
It was there that she met Dr KV Ramanan, her future husband, who was also serving in the Air Force. Their shared commitment to medicine and service became the foundation of a brief but happy marriage, cut short by his untimely death in 1971. Left to raise two young children, Viji continued her demanding work with courage, supported by her father-in-law, himself a retired doctor, and her mother-in-law, with whom she shared a fondness for board games and lively conversation.

A Voice of Melody and Strength
VIJI’S accomplishments extended far beyond the hospital and the parade ground. She was a gifted Carnatic vocalist, selected as an A-grade artiste by All India Radio at the age of fifteen — an extraordinary achievement. She even learnt krithis from legends such as Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and GN Balasubramaniam (GNB), and even sang patriotic songs at gatherings organised by Sarojini Naidu and Mahatma Gandhi in Chennai.
Her nephew, CM Venkatachalam, recalls: “She was a perfect vocalist. I remember telling her, ‘Viji, you sing like MS Subbulakshmi and Vasanthakokilam.’”
Although her professional commitments eventually curtailed her public performances, she never abandoned music. She taught her nieces and grandchildren to sing, insisting they memorize compositions so that “the music flows through you.” Her grandson, Rohan, who later took up music professionally, attributes his early love of the art to her encouragement. When her grand-daughter, Prianca Ramanan, decided to join medical school in Boston, Viji was thrilled beyond measure.
Her dedication as a medical practitioner was also a source of inspiration in the family, prompting her granddaughter Prianca to take up medicine. “During my childhood visits to Bangalore, Ammamma would tell me stories about her days as an OB/Gyn, and it was those stories that solidified my own ambitions of following in her footsteps. I admired her work ethic, her independence, and most of all, her warmth, qualities I hope to develop in myself some day.”

Mentor, Mother, Humanitarian
EVEN after her retirement as Wing Commander, Dr Ramanan remained an active mentor to younger doctors, especially women in the Armed Forces Medical Service. Her combination of rigour and empathy left a deep impression on all who trained under her.
Her warmth extended far beyond her professional circle. At home, she was a doting mother and grandmother, finding joy in the simplest acts — teaching her son to knit, cooking for family gatherings, or listening to bhajans on quiet evenings. Her daughter’s family remembers her later years with deep affection: “When she moved in with us because of health issues, the boys treated her like their own mother. And my husband, Narayan, made her life as comfortable and hassle-free as possible,” says Sukanya.
True to her lifelong ideals of service, she continued to support social causes — donating towards cancer treatment, cataract surgeries, rural education, and e-learning initiatives. She did so quietly, never seeking recognition.
Legacy of a Renaissance Woman
DR RAMANAN’S life was an extraordinary blend of professional achievement and personal grace. She embodied the values of her idols — courage in action, sincerity of purpose, and compassion in service. For her family, she was an inspiration; for her colleagues, a role model; and for the generations of women who followed her into the Indian Armed Forces, a pathfinder.
She once remarked that her greatest satisfaction came not from medals or promotions but from the gratitude of a patient or the success of a young doctor she had mentored.
In every sense, Wing Commander (Dr) Vijayalakshmi Ramanan, VSM was a woman of substance — doctor, officer, musician, mother, and humanitarian — a true Renaissance woman who lived a life of purpose and grace.