Kochi (Kerala): First woman pilot of Indian Navy joined naval operations on Monday, two days ahead of Navy Day on 4 December, in Kochi.
The first woman pilot, Lieutenant Shivangi, joined naval operations on completion of operational training in Kochi on 2 December.
The woman pilot has turned the tables on societal stereotypes and proved 'Girls can do anything that boys can do'.
"Shivangi will graduate to become the First woman Pilot of Indian Navy. She hails from Muzzafarpur, Bihar and completed her schooling from DAV Public school, Muzzafarpur," a Defence source said.
She was inducted into Indian Navy as SSC (Pilot) as part of 27 NOC course in Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala and got formally commissioned by Vice Admiral AK Chawla, in June last year.
The Navy's Aviation branch has had women officers operating as air traffic control officers and as 'observers' in the aircraft who are responsible for communication and weapons, the source said.
Shivangi, who had been trained at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi, got authorisation on 2 December to fly Dornier aircraft.
The Navy had its first woman pilot trained by Navy to make first cockpit entry on 2 December, the source said without elaborating.
The Indian Navy has positions for 735 pilots, with about 644 currently filled, according to Indian Ministry of Defense figures. More than 200 aircraft make up its naval air wing, including MIG 29-K fighter jets, Boeing P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft, several classes of helicopters and reconnaissance aircraft.
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