IAF's Bhawana Kanth Becomes 2nd Indian Woman To Fly Aircraft Solo

Flying officer Bhawana Kanth recently became the second woman pilot to fly a fighter aircraft solo, reported ANI. The first woman to achieve the feat is Avani Chaturvedi.

Flying officer Bhawana Kanth became the second woman pilot of Indian Air Force to fly solo in a fighter aircraft after she flew in a MiG 21 Bison aircraft from Ambala Air Force Station at around 2 pm yesterday. pic.twitter.com/3jkKeYHTdU

— ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2018

Congratulations - Fg Offr #BhawanaKanth became the 2nd woman pilot of #IAF to fly solo in fighter aircraft, when she flew in a MiG 21 Bison aircraft, AFS Ambala, 16Mar18. The sortie was flown for about 30 mins. The first woman pilot to go solo was Fg Offr #AvaniChaturvedi. pic.twitter.com/bl7AiO2D2O

— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 17, 2018

Kanth, Avani Chaturvedi and Mohana Singh, broke through glass ceiling to be India’s first women fighter pilots. The historic event took place on June 18, 2016. After the Defence Ministry’s ground-breaking decision of inducting women in the combat stream, the three women were commissioned as India’s first women fighter pilots squadron.

Second Woman in #IAF flying officer #BhawanaKanth. Congratulations Bhawana and once again I welcome to you in #IAF. pic.twitter.com/1bWe3ifzmd

— Rajesh Singh Yadav (@R_S_Yadava) March 19, 2018

Kanth flew in MiG-21 "Bison" from Ambala Air Force Station at around 2pm on Friday (March 16). She flew the aircraft which has virtually the highest landing and take-off speed in the world -- 340 kmph.

Kanth hails from Darbhanga in Bihar. She revealed how flying "like a free bird" had always been a childhood dream for her. When she finally got the opportunity to fly high in 2016, there was no second thought in joining the IAF, TOI reported.

Congrats to Air Force’s woman combat pilot, Flying Officer Bhawana Kanth for flying her maiden solo sortie in a fighter aircraft from the country’s oldest airbase,Ambala. It’s heartening to see young women break the glass ceilings & make a niche for themselves! pic.twitter.com/oLIqv2A4Zp

— Harsimrat Kaur Badal (@HarsimratBadal_) March 18, 2018

She is now second woman only to have created history to do so. On February 21, flying Officer Avani Chaturvedi became the first Indian woman fighter pilot to fly solo.

“When fears are grounded, dreams take flight”.

Aptly said for Flying Officer #BhawanaKanth who became the 2nd woman pilot of #IAF to fly solo in fighter aircraft, after Flying Officer #AvaniChaturvedi.✈️

Congratulations and thank you for making us all so proud!👍 pic.twitter.com/kMy5A3Dl3z

— Nausheen Khan (@DrNausheenKhan) March 19, 2018

In October 2015 when the government took the decision to open the fighter stream for women, the thought of women in combat roles in the army was a mere idea only.

https://www.facebook.com/SheThePeoplePage/videos/1251585064872703/

In the navy, combat is still off-limits for women, due to a combination of operational concerns and logistical constraints.

Flying officer #BhawanaKanth became the second woman pilot of Indian Air Force to fly solo in a fighter aircraft after she flew in a MiG 21 Bison aircraft from Ambala Air Force Station???#NariShakti pic.twitter.com/LyTChrw2SG

— Doordarshan News (@DDNewsLive) March 18, 2018

Kanth said that being in the fighter stream is the "best and biggest" thing that happened to her

Flying officer #BhawanaKanth became the second woman pilot of Indian Air Force to fly solo in a fighter aircraft after she flew in a MiG 21 Bison aircraft from Ambala Air Force Station🇮🇳💪#NariShakti pic.twitter.com/G970UP6eSJ

— Aviator Anil Chopra (@Chopsyturvey) March 18, 2018

Women like Kanth, Chaturvedi and Singh have proved that sky is the limit when you have the will.

Feature Image Credit: Twitter/ANI

READ: Five headlines that tell us women achieve every single day

Also read: Special Feature: Women in Indian Armed Forces

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