Shivangi, Navy's first woman pilot, joins operations

It was a childhood dream come true for 24-year old Shivangi as she joined operations as the first woman pilot of the Indian Navy on Monday.

Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Naval Command Vice Admiral A K Chawla formally inducted Sub Lieutenant Shivangi to the Indian Navy's air squadron at the awarding the wings at a ceremony held at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi in Kerala on Monday.

Vice Admiral A K Chawla awarding the wings to Navy's first woman pilot Shivangi at the awarding of
wings ceremony at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi on Monday.

A much excited Shivangi said that it was her childhood dream to become a pilot after she witnessed a chopper landing near her grandparents' house with a minister when she was around 10. She also said that being the first woman pilot of the Indian Navy was a big responsibility being bestowed on her.

A native of Muzaffarpur in Bihar, Shivangi joined the India Navy last year as SSC (pilot). She had undergone one-year training at the Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala in Kerala Indian Air Force Academy at Dundigal. Two more woman pilots would be soon joining her. Initially, she would be engaged for flying the Naval Dornier aircraft and in due course would be deployed at Naval ships.

Vice Admiral A K Chawla said that it was a red-letter day for the Indian Navy.

Shivangi feels that her achievement could be an inspiration to many as she hailed from a very ordinary family. Support from my family helped me achieve it, said Shivangi, who is the daughter of a school principal.