- The Sky Is No Limit: Celebrating Women’s Achievements in Aviation
- Empowering Women Aviators : A National Vision
By Sangeeta Saxena
New Delhi. 2024. It was a conglomeration with a difference and seminar session which for me was first in my professional journey as an aviation journalist. The Stein Auditorium at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi was witness to probably a beginning of a chapter in India’s aviation history. The audience were majority women with men sporadically scattered. These women both pilots and from the other branches of aviation were listening in rapt attention to the man who has taken the mandate to ensure that there is no hindrance in the leap for these women in the male bastion they work in. The young and vibrant man who got the maximum cheers and loudest in the day was Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, India’s Minister of Civil Aviation.
“We at the ministry have issued an advisory to the stakeholders to increase the participation of women in the aviation workforce by 25% by 2025. It is very, very close but we feel that we can achieve this and we are moving forward in that direction. And as the aviation minister, it is my commitment to break free all the gender biases of the sector and improve the participation of women in this aviation industry.15% of Indian pilots are women, far exceeding the global average of 5%. Such statistics underscore India’s potential to lead by example in gender inclusivity in aviation. Let’s celebrate every time a woman takes a flight. I believe that when a woman takes a flight it’s a flight of dreams, a flight of empowerment, flight of limitless possibilities and a flight of Nari Shakti,” stated the Minister, who was the Chief Guest at the 99s India Aviation Conclave.
He strongly emphasized the pivotal role of women in the aviation sector, showcasing a commitment to creating an inclusive and empowering environment for aspiring women aviators and believe me he got the loudest claps from the ladies in the audience. The event , was organized by the 99s India Section, which celebrated decades of contributions by women pilots and highlighted new milestones for women in aviation under the Government of India’s vision of women-led development.
For over nine decades, the 99s, an international organization of women pilots, has championed the dreams of countless women in aviation. With more than 7,800 members globally and 52 in India, the 99s have significantly influenced the aviation landscape. The minister lauded this legacy, citing trailblazers like Indian Army’s Divya Achit Kumar, the youngest woman to fly solo around the world, and Captain Zoya Agarwal, the first Indian female pilot to fly over the North Pole.
He addressed a major point to 99s India Chairperson Nivedita Bhasin, “ I would also like to add that I need your support to encourage more people especially women to not only become commercial aviation pilots but also helicopter pilots. I call upon the incredible women here today to break the stereotype and embrace the role of helicopter pilots also. The Ministry of Civil Aviation is deeply committed to expanding the helicopter industry in India recognizing its critical role in expanding the air connectivity network to the unserved areas where building an airport or taking a commercial plane is very difficult. So the only opportunity that we have is connecting them through helicopters. And what is the biggest challenge we have now? There are no helicopters, not many of them. Why there are not many helicopters? Because there are not many pilots handling the helicopters. So it has become a cycle in such a sort and we see that whenever these kind of tough situations India has faced it was always the women who have come forward and broken up those kind of problems and come up with innovative solutions. So I request through this forum that more women pilots should come into the helicopter industry also. We need more skilled helicopter pilots,”
He added that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India has launched several initiatives aimed at empowering women. Programs like UDAAN, which democratized air travel, and schemes like Mudra Yojana and Drone Didi are enabling women to excel in traditionally male-dominated fields.
“And so, I feel there is a need to organize more and more awareness camps across the country and I assure from my side that me and my ministry will give complete support to 99s and other organizations who are working in this industry to propel forward and to achieve our collective objective. And I also have had the privilege to interact with 51 incredible women achievers in the civil aviation sector. This happened when our Honourable President Draupadi Murmuji had invited 51 women from the sector and it was a very proud moment for us at the ministry, as we also had the chance to interact with them. and there also I have encouraged all the women pilots and all the other women also who are working in this industry to share their achievements, to share their stories, to take them to the remotest parts of the country and to inspire more women to come into this. And my vision as the country’s aviation minister is to make aviation a preferred choice as a career for the girls of this country. Even last week when we celebrated the 75th Constitution Day at the Ministry of Civil Aviation, I emphasized the Constitution’s pivotal role in safeguarding opportunities and reaffirmed my commitment to fostering inclusivity in the aviation sector, women participation across various roles, including pilots, engineers, air traffic controllers, ground handling and lot of commercial activities and many more.”
The Minister also stated that giving financial support he felt is a very important intervention that the stakeholders together need to do by expanding scholarships and grants to ensure financial constraints are looked into. “ Do not deter aspiring women pilots and I appreciate the work which 99 is doing in this section also because I see that pilot course is still a very expensive affair. No matter how much passionate you are to become a pilot, unless the financials back you up, you are ultimately not able to reach that. So collectively we still have a lot of work to do in that sense where we can help the underprivileged or the less fortunate people to come up and become the pilots.”
He added, “And the government of India has been consistently working to ensure that our nation not only produces more pilots but also highly skilled and well-prepared professionals ready to meet global standards. Significant strides have been made to enhance and regulate FTOs ensuring they adhere to the highest levels of training and professionalism. In recent years, several proactive measures have been taken to support the growth of FTOs including rationalization, licensing and concession fees, establishing 8 new FTOs with 10 more in the pipeline and we have also been liberalizing policies such as the abolition of airport royalties and rationalized land rent.”
Secretary Civil Aviation Vumlunmang Vualnam in his address as Guest of Honour stated that initiatives like the UDAAN scheme have already democratized air travel and it has been a great success story which has revolutionized the Indian aviation story. And now he felt this inclusivity must be extended to encouraging greater participation from women. Organisations like 99s India which have women pilots and professionals, can mentor young girls and motivate them to make careers in aviation. He added that organisations like these which have interest of women pilots in their focus will be able to help women face challenges in their career paths both on professional and personal fronts.
And all the women pilots and aviators who were present at the conclave here realised that they were not alone. Their organisations and the government were there always to support them and that their stories were testaments to the fact that dreams have no gender.
Air India’s Group Head for Governance, Regulatory, Compliance (GRC) and Corporate Affairs. P Balaji, reiterated Air India’s commitment towards making the airline an asset for flying and non-flying women employees. He appreciated the women power of Air India and ensured that any shortcomings in the workplace for them will be looked into and matters solved and resolved with the interest of this very important work force in mind.
Reflecting on is outreach efforts, the minister shared his experiences engaging with young women in his constituency Srikakulam. These interactions sparked interest among students, many of whom were previously unaware of aviation opportunities. By connecting them with women achievers in the sector, the government hopes to inspire a new generation to dream beyond traditional careers. The minister called for expanding these outreach programs, particularly in rural areas, to nurture curiosity and ambition among young girls. He also emphasized the need for mentorship, financial support, and breaking systemic barriers like workplace biases and access challenges.
Nivedita Bhasin International Director at the Ninety-Nines, Inc.®, and Head of 99s India, retired as B787 Captain & Chief of Flight Safety, Air India, with 37 years of Airline flying and transitioning as the youngest woman Jet Commander (B737) in 1989, has flown Turboprops, Boeing as well as Airbus planes and was also training Captain on A300, A330 as well as B787 and has one year experience as TRI in B787, welcomed the guests and the audience and thanked everyone for making the event a success. She reassured the Minister that both 99s and she personally will work towards achieving the goal set by the ministry to get more and more girls into the profession of flying. She stated that all members of 99s India will put in their effort to create and implement outreach programmes to motivate and inspire rural girls in planning their careers and making flying their profession of choice.
The Minister ended by saying, “ I am particularly inspired by how women pilots against all odds take flight not just physically but emotionally and socially also. Your achievements are not just about personal triumphs, they are about paving the way for others to follow in your career. I would say that this conclave is a celebration of the achievements of all the women who dare to dream and dare to fly. I hope these stories of so many role models here would go on to inspire thousands more and lakhs of women in this country. And as we celebrate your accomplishments today, let us also pledge to make the skies even more welcoming for women. Let us commit to breaking every glass ceiling that is there until the only ceiling that is left is the blue sky above us. In conclusion, I want to thank the 99th Senior Section for organizing this conclave.”
The conclave celebrated the remarkable achievements of women in aviation while igniting a collective pledge to make the skies more welcoming. Pilots from fourteen countries attended the conclave. The minister’s call to action resonates with a vision of an aviation sector where gender is no barrier, and dreams of flight are accessible to every young girl in India. The event stands as a testament to the limitless possibilities when women are empowered to lead and excel.
