She is definitely on top, literally. Woman today travels alone often and travels by air...sometimes in an all-women cabin! Domestic airlines are introducing all-women crew, which is now quite the done thing in the Chennai-Bangalore sector. Especially when it comes to occasions such as the International Women’s Day. What is special is that she is in the cabin, she is in the crew and she is in the cockpit too. Air-Deccan, for instance, has a total of 420 pilots of whom 31 are women. At Air-Deccan’s Bangalore base, of the 58 pilots, seven are women and four others are based in Chennai. Because of the high number of women staff at both these bases, many of the flights between Bangalore and Chennai have an all-women crew.

There are women working as captains, co-pilots, cabin crew and ground staff. At its Chennai base, the crew-shuttle vehicles that are used to transport crew are also driven by women!

One such outstanding woman is Captain Indira Mittra, the first and possibly, the only woman Base Captain in India. She is based in Chennai.                 

Excerpts from an interview:

What made you take to the skies? How was the journey?

From the time I was five years, I dreamt of riding in the clouds. I was always interested in space travel too. I completed my science degree and graduated in economics. I was also a very committed NCC cadet. By the time I was 22, I was flying commercial aircraft.

Was it difficult for you to convince your parents about the kind of profession you chose? Did you face any discrimination?

Not at all. My parents let us choose whatever we wanted to do and they never made any gender-specific discrimination. At work too, I have a good rapport with my male colleagues. It all depends on how we project ourselves at the workplace. The respect we get depends on the values we have.

Describe a typical day at work

I fly after office duty. I also undertake managerial functions, solve problems related to operations, engineering etc.

My job also involves advising and supporting other pilots who are not based in Chennai. I am the point of contact between the pilots and the airline and am responsible for all the activities and functions that are carried out in this base. All the network airports under the Chennai base — Coimbatore, Madurai and Port Blair — also report to me. Generally, I work around eight hours in a day.

Once you sit in the cockpit and take control of the aircraft, what is the foremost emotion in your mind?

Once I am in control of the aircraft, my first emotion is that of responsibility to my fellow passengers. And then comes exhilaration. Once, after we landed, a father along with his eight-year-old daughter came to the cockpit, pointed to me and said “see how well aunty is doing her job.”. The girl replied that she too will become a pilot when she grows up. These kind of incidents perk me up.

Your advice to aspiring women pilots?

My only advice is this: Nothing is impossible. Chase your dreams and do whatever you really, truly want to do.

Ultimately, that’s what really matters.