A Pilot first, then a Lady

AISHWARYA AWASTHI ALWAYS DREAMT OF BECOMING A PILOT IN THE IAF, AND HAS WORKED AGAINST ODDS TO ACHIEVE HER GOAL

Aishwarya Girish Awasthi is one such inspiring woman who, following a rigorous training regimen is ready to fight for her country. The second generation in the family to join the Forces, for 24-year-old engineering graduate Aishwarya, now a Flying Officer in the logistics branch at Gwalior, joining the defence forces and becoming an IAF pilot was a cherished dream.

“I belong to the forces since my father was also an officer in the IAF. He was the only one from his village, Mehkar (in Bhuldana district of Maharashtra) to join the forces and now I’m the next one. I lost my father to cardiac arrest on 14 May 2017, after which my resolution of becoming an officer just hardened. I joined the academy the same year,” says Aishwarya, who discontinued her MBA course and joined the Air Force Academy in December 2017.

“It feels to be on top of the world to finally become a flying officer in the Indian Air Force. It has always been a dream, since childhood I’ve dreamt of wearing the blues and I have achieved it,” says the Flying Officer, who did her BE in mechanical engineering Cummins College for Women, Pune.

Having been through the grind at the AFA, she feels more empowered now. “The training was for a year, and involved rigorous physical activities which also included a camp and academic professional knowledge. The schedule for this entire year was very busy, and fixed, and we just had to follow it,” she says.

Since her graduation required almost no physical activity, it was initially very difficult for her. “My college life required little or no physical activity, so I had a lot of struggle in the initial phase of the training. from MKSSS’ of Engineering

“Over the course of the training, I gradually improved my physical standards and cleared all the basic parameters required. During training, just a month prior to commissioning, I lost my brother, who drowned in the sea. This was the most challenging time. But I had to finish my training and get commissioned on December 15, so I involved myself completely in the training activities,” says the dynamic officer, who lost her father and brother in a span of 20 months.

Trained at par with male officers, she found the challenges and work atmosphere a motivating and enriching experience. In the Air Force, you are an officer first, then, a lady she smiles, recalling, “Since engineering I’ve wanted to become an IAF officer and I have given two SSBs. I got in at the second attempt,” says Aishwarya.

Quite vocal about the possibility of women in combat roles, she points out that women officers have managed all roles with equal aplomb — be it administration, accounts, logistics, medical, air traffic controlling, meteorological and technical. She asserts, “Definitely more and more women should join the Armed forces. The Armed forces will be determined by ability alone and not gender.”

It feels to be on top of the world to finally become a flying officer in the Indian Air Force.

— Aishwarya Girish Awasthi, Flying Office, IAF