Vijayalakshmi Ramanan

Vijayalakshmi Ramanan VSM (27 February 192418 October 2020) was an Indian physician and career army officer. She was the first woman to be commissioned as an Indian Air Force officer, and served as a surgeon in several military hospitals in India. She was a recipient of the army's Vishisht Seva Medal in 1977 and retired as a wing commander in 1979.

Early life Ramanan was born on 27 February 1924 in Madras (now Chennai). Her father T.D. Narayana Iyer was a World War I veteran and later a public health official in Madras. In addition to working as a gynecologist in military hospitals in India, she also provided medical care to service members during wars in 1962, 1966 and 1971. She served in armed forces hospitals in Jalahalli, Kanpur, Secunderabad and Bangalore. She also taught obstetrics and gynecology for nurse officers during this time.