IMAGE

Defence Minister Parrikar commissions first women fighter pilots of the IAF

by IBNS 18 Jun 2016, 07:09 am

New Delhi, Jun 18 (IBNS): Bhawana Kanth of Bihar, Avani Chatuvedi of Madhya Pradesh and Mohana Singh of Rajasthan entered the record books on Saturday as the first women fighter pilots of the Indian Air Force.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Saturday commissioned the trio at a combined graduation parade at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, Hyderabad

Earlier, women were allowed to take up administrative posts and nursing jobs. The new inclusion is expected to add another dimension to the women cadets and the IAF.

After getting their wings as flying officers, the trio will train for six months on the Advanced Jet Fighter - the British-built Hawk, media reported
 
IAF is among the first Indian defence sector to appoint women fighters, though it has been done on an experimental basis for five years.