From Anshula Kant (World Bank’s first female CFO) to Pratiksha Das (Mumbai’s first female BEST bus driver), Indian women are breaking the invisible barrier or glass ceiling shutting them out of male-dominated professions including the armed forces.
Earlier, Flight Lieutenant Bhawana Kanth became the first-ever woman fighter pilot of the Indian Air Force and now Sub Lieutenant Shivangi has created history by becoming the Indian Navy’s first female pilot.
Hailing from Muzaffarpur in Bihar, Shivangi completed her Indian Naval Academy training in 2018. According to The Economic Times, after completing Dornier Conversion with squadron INAS 550 in Kochi, she received her ‘qualification wings’ from the chief of Southern Naval Command Vice Admiral AK Chawla.
@indiannavy Sub Lieutenant #Shivangi created history by becoming the First Naval Woman pilot.
My best wishes to Shivangi for all her future endeavors!#WomenInDefence pic.twitter.com/PBkvSbDGwp— Dr.Rajendra Shingne (@DrShingnespeaks) December 3, 2019
NDTV reports that she will now take up the Dornier Operational Flying Training course at INS Garuda and then join a maritime reconnaissance squadron.
CNN quoted the 24-year-old saying, “I was about 10 years old and I was at my grandfather’s place and there was some minister who had come to meet people. I had gone with my grandfather to see it and I saw a man who was flying a helicopter. It was very inspiring for me. In my mind, I thought that maybe someday I’ll also fly something like this.”
‘Nurtured the dream as a 10-yr-old’: Indian Navy’s first woman pilot Shivangihttps://t.co/JGBUOoIa3C pic.twitter.com/iM0CX2ETsV
— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) December 3, 2019
Sub Lieutenant #Shivangi of the @indiannavy scripts history as she becomes the FIRST naval woman pilot. She joined operational duties in Kochi naval base today. She will be flying the Dornier surveillance aircraft of the Indian Navy🛫.
Congratulations👏#WomenInDefence pic.twitter.com/j8JnU26xrM
— ALL INDIA RADIO (@AkashvaniAIR) December 2, 2019
She further added,
“People were very supportive, I never felt like I am the only lady here, so that was because of my squadron and my instructors and all the people here…You know every time somebody is doing something for the first time there is a lot of pressure, there is a lot of expectation so obviously the pressure will be there.”
Her accomplishments are making everyone so proud. Kudos!
Congratulations Shivangi.
Wishing you are very enriching career ahead.. We are all very happy for you.
“I have been craving this for a long time: says India's first naval woman pilot, Sub-Lieutenant Shivangi” https://t.co/xWkp0LPD6s— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) December 2, 2019
Sub Lieutenant Shivangi of Muzaffarpur, breaks glass ceiling by getting into naval cockpit.
She will be first woman pilot of #IndianNavy, to fly indigenously built fixed-wing Dornier surveillance plane.
Congratulations Shivangi, you are an inspiration.#NaariShakti pic.twitter.com/g2ZUFAIvNB
— Shobha Karandlaje (@ShobhaBJP) November 22, 2019
"Perfect example of women empowerment"
The Indian Navy has welcomed its first woman pilot, Sub Lieutenant #Shivangi.
Heartiest Congratulations!!Pride of India👏👏
— Poonamben Maadam (@PoonambenMaadam) December 2, 2019
Glad & Honoured!
Sub Lieutenant #Shivangi Ji scripts history by becoming Indian Navy's first-ever Woman Pilot!
She's a pride and inspiration for each and every woman in the Nation! 🙏 pic.twitter.com/vSMEYhUv3U— Kunal Raj (@bkunalraj) December 2, 2019
Congratulations to #Shivangi , who joined the force two days ahead of the Navy Day, has graduated to become the First female Pilot of Indian Navy. pic.twitter.com/flr8x2W8Ia
— Dr. Nitin Raut (@NitinRaut_INC) December 2, 2019
Thank you, for paving the way for hundreds of other women to sit in the naval cockpit!