Meet country’s first women fighter pilots
History was scripted on Saturday when Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar formally commissioned three women fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force at a combined graduation parade at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal. Flight cadets Avani Chaturvedi of Madhya Pradesh, Mohana Singh of Rajasthan and Bhawana Kanth of Bihar, all in their early-20s, usher in a new chapter for the Indian defence forces, which have for long opposed the induction of women in combat roles. Here’s a peek into their lives:
1. Bhawana Kanth
A native of a remote village in Bihar’s Darbhanga district, 24-year-old Bhawana Kanth has made the state proud by becoming one of three first women fighter stream pilots in India’s history. After completing her secondary education from Vidya mandir, Kota, she joined BMS engineering college, Bangalore for doing BTech in medical electronics. After B Tech, she joined air force service commission.
2. Avani Chaturvedi
Avani was born in Madhya Pradesh’s Satna district. She did her schooling from a small town named Deolond which is located near Rewa. She joined the IAF after completing her B Tech in Computer Science from Banasthali University, Jaipur. Her father is an executive engineer working for the state government. Her mother is a home maker. “My dream is to become a good fighter pilot on whom seniors can always rely when it comes to flying for live operations. I want to fly the best fighter aircraft and learn more and more each day,” she says.
3. Mohana Singh
Mohana is from Jhunjunu, Rajasthan. Her father is in the IAF and her mother is a teacher. She completed her schooling from Air Force School, New Delhi and did her BTech (Electronics & Amp Comm) from GIMET, Amritsar. Having her father and grandfather in the defence forces made Singh aspire to join the ranks too and continue the family legacy.
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