Arms and the Woman

<p>From prehistoric to modern times all cultures have unfailingly discriminated against women. Social norms of the male-dominated societies had confined them to household chores and had restrained them from venturing into other fields - the profession of arms being one of them. The glass ceiling was firmly in place.</p><p>Yet lost in the pages of history are the daring deeds of warrior queens and female soldiers who had defied the well-entrenched conventions of their times. In the olden times women had also supported war efforts informally as the 'Camp Followers'. However it was only in the Armenian War of 1853-56 that a batch of nurses under Florence Nightingale formally entered the war zone. From then to the post-World War-II period women took a century to incrementally prove their abilities and relevance among those who bear arms. Now they are there in armed constabularies para-military forces and militaries across the globe. They are also there in the 'grey zone' conflicts as insurgents terrorists and suicide bombers.  </p><p>The book traces how women with their determined zeal and rising aspirations have steadily overcome centuries of unfair restraints to shatter the glass ceiling. </p>