The Chief of Army Staff Prajwalla Sumshere Rana paused after pinning the first star on the shoulders of Dr Radha (Shah) KC, and said to her: "I am proud you've become a Brigadier General and made history." Hear. Hear. Radha then shared a glass of bubbly with other new generals-all of them men, except her. In fact, Gen KC has become the first-ever woman to earn stars in the Royal Nepal Army.

The career of Brigadier General Dr Radha, a paediatrician with the RNA, began with a scholarship to study medicine in 1968. She was the only woman among four Nepalis chosen to do so at the Armed Forces Medical College at Pune in India from where she graduated and joined service as a Lieutenant. She went on to become the first female Colonel, and two weeks ago the first Brigadier General.

Gen Radha says it has never been her intention to be the first in everything. "I just wanted to be a medical doctor," she told us. "But I also wanted to join the army because my father was an officer, and I liked its military orderliness and punctuality." The RNA does not have female soldiers, but women have served in the medical forces. There are now 25 female doctors and 40 nurses, some of whom currently serve in recently-set up field hospitals in different parts of the country. The RNA's legal wing also employs women. The only other army unit that has women is the paratroops, where women fold up parachutes.

"There is talk about getting in more women as supporting forces," says Gen Radha. "I think they can do well in the medical services, as engineers, in the legal departments, as Military Police, in signals and in other clerical jobs." Today, the army's women medics take up assignments in UN peacekeeping operations and have served in Sierra Leone, Lebanon and East Timor. Doing stints in field hospitals set up around the country is mandatory.

Radha's anaesthetist husband Dr Amrit KC was also among the Nepalis sent on scholarship to Pune in 1968. He retired as a Major, and Radha can't help quipping: "But he probably regrets his decision now." Dr Amrit is sitting nearby and nods, and says his job these days is to field congratulatory phone calls from friends and well-wishers. "That's all I have been doing all week," he says.

The doctor couple is happy, and they are clear about the reason for their success. "I made it because I got the opportunity to study," says Radha, "Most other Nepali women don't. This shows that women can all do better if only they get the chance." Their daughter is doing an MBA in Australia, and their son has just finished high school.

Gen Radha now joins seven other Brigadier Generals in the medical corps. This will be her last promotion-unless rumours are true that the RNA is considering having a Major General from the medical corps. All we can say is: "Salaam Jarsap!"