The Indian Air Force on Saturday added a new chapter in its glorious history by commissioning its first batch of women fighter pilots. Flight cadets Avani Chaturvedi of Madhya Pradesh, Mohana Singh of Rajasthan and Bhawana Kanth of Bihar were formally commissioned by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar at a combined graduation parade at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal.
“This is a learning experience for us. This is the first time we will be putting women cadets in the fighter aircraft cockpit. There are lessons for all of us. We will benefit from these experiences,” sources in the IAF headquarters said.
Each has cleared the first stage of training and also has 150 hours of flying. Afterwards, they will train for six months on the Advanced Jet Fighter – the British built hawk and will assigned fighters with their squadrons.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was the chief guest at combined graduation ceremony at Air Force Academy, named the event as a “milestone” as it is the first time women have given the combat role.
“It is a golden day as for the first time these women are going to join the fighter pilots, this will inspire more women to take up the most challenging task in the armed forces. Our long-term objective is to work towards gender parity in the armed forces,” the Defence Minister said at the ceremony.
Below are the profiles of the three Women Flight Cadets:
- Flight Cadet Mohana Singh from Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, studied BTech in Electronics & Communication from the global Institute of Management and Emerging Technologies, Amritsar. Her father is in the Air Force and mother is a teacher.
“I wanted to carry on the family legacy of serving the nation by being in defence. As a Flight Gunner in Aviation Research Centre my grandfather used to go to different places on various missions. I wanted to live the same life. Flying was the best opportunity,” she says.
“I aspire to make my parents proud of me by becoming a fighter pilot and fly the best of the fighter in the IAF. I dream of being part of the future combat missions and fight for the nation when duty calls for guarding the nation’s skies,” adds a confident Mohana. Mohana’s aim is to be the part of future combat mission.
- Flight Cadet Bhawana Kanth from Darbhanga, Bihar, studied BE in Medical Electronics from BMS College of Engineering, Banglore. Her father is an engineer in Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Mathura, U.P. and mother is a home maker.
According to Bhawana it was her dream to fly like a free bird since her childhood which inspired her to join IAF. “After clearing my Stage 1 training, I got the golden opportunity to opt for fighter stream, the best and the biggest thing that has happened to me and the best part is, it is just the beginning. It is my aim to become a good fighter pilot and fight for the nation and makes my parents proud,” says Bhawana.
- Flight Cadet Avani Chaturvedi from Satna, Madhya Pradesh, studied BTech in Computer Science from Banasthali University, Jaipur. Her father is an executive engineer in MP government and mother is a home maker. She also had a few hours of flying experience in flying club of her college which makes her to join IAF.
“I got selected for flying stream and subsequently for fighter flying. I got the golden opportunity to fly two different aircrafts, one very modern and advanced, and one stalwart trainer with best of the instructors,” she says. “My dream is to become a good fighter pilot, on whom my seniors can rely on when it comes to fly for live operations. I want to fly the best fighter aircraft and learn more and more each day,” she adds.
Expressing happiness, the three women pilots, who successfully completed pre-commissioning training by the Flight Cadets of various branches of IAF, said they consider themselves “fortunate” and were excited to take on their duties.
Until now, India put away women from this combat role but in recent years, Indian courts have pushed the military to widen opportunities for women.
Modi’s government announced last year it would bring women into fighting roles and approved IAF plans for women pilots to fly warplanes from June 2017 on a three-year experimental basis.
Also, Indian President Pranab Mukherjee in February went a step further announcing the country would induct women in all fighter streams of the armed forces in the future.
PM also congratulated the women, saying it is “a matter of immense pride and joy” to have the first female fighter pilots. “More power to them,” he tweeted.