Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on January 1, Monday, inaugurated the first all-girls Sainik school at Vrindavan. The union minister termed it as a beacon of light for all those girls who aspire to join the armed forces and protect the Nation.

According to the defence ministry, Samvid Gurukulam Girls Sainik School, the first all-girls Sainik school with a strength of about 870 students, has been inaugurated under the initiative of establishing 100 new Sainik schools in partnership with non-governmental organisation (NGOs)/private/state government schools in all states/Union Territories (UTs).

These are in addition to the existing 33 Sainik schools already functioning under the erstwhile pattern, the ministry said in a statement.

"Samvid Gurukulam Girls Sainik School is a beacon of light for girls who aspire to join the Armed Forces and serve the motherland. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has given women their rightful place in the Armed Forces, which was neglected for years," the defence minister said on the occasion.

"They (girls) have the right to protect the nation just like their male counterparts. It was a golden moment in the history of women's empowerment when we approved the admission of girls to Sainik schools. Today, our women are not only flying fighter jets, they are also securing the borders," he said.