Sub-Lieutenant Shivangi creates history by becoming the first woman naval pilot

Indian Navy’s Sub-Lieutenant Shivangi has become the first naval woman pilot and joined operational duties in the presence of top naval officials at its base here.

“It is a very proud feeling for me. It is a different feeling...being the navy's first woman pilot," Shivangi said.

She further said, "Women were always there in the Navy. They were not in the cockpit, but were just observers.

She said that her being the first to be a woman pilot in the navy 'would create more opportunities for other women who wanted to join the defence force.'

She received her 'qualification wings' from the chief of Southern Naval Command Vice Admiral AK Chawla. She started dreaming of becoming a pilot ever since she saw a chopper carrying a minister landed in the neighbourhood of her grandparents' place in Bihar during her childhood. She said her family is supportive and they never questioned her wish to join defence forces.

It was a long cherished dream to become a pilot and has been craving for this for a long time, she said.

She joined the Indian Navy as its first woman pilot on completion of operational training here.

Shivangi, who hails from Muzaffarpur in Bihar, would be flying the Naval Dornier surveillance aircraft. As part of her training, Shivangi has flown Pilatus PC 7 Mk II, Basic Trainer at AFA and completed Dornier Conversion with the Indian navy in Kochi.

She would continue her training at INAS 550, the Dornier squadron at INS Garuda, to become a fully operational pilot on Maritime Reconnaissance (MR) aircraft.

The Indian navy congratulated her on her achievement. Along with Shivangi, two trainee officers of the 7th Dornier Conversion Course (DOCC) also qualified as Dornier pilots and were awarded the coveted golden Wings at the simple and solemn ceremony.