- Aviation is not an impregnable male bastion
New Delhi. 20 December 2017. “A group of over a hundred and fifty and increasing, we get together as a body of humans with not one, but two common grounds: flying, a phenomenon famous for it’s binding qualities and gender, another distinctly cohesive force,” is the statement which welcomes you when you land on the home page of a website with a difference. Not different because of its design , different because it is a group of women surviving in a male bastion and have finished 50 years of running this all women’s group. Though they say they have some male honorary members too. Indian Women Pilots’ Association (IWPA) Turns 50 with elan.
“India is the country with maximum number of women pilots in the world, be it in Air India or Indian Air Force. This is a testimony of the contribution made by women to the aviation sector and also by the country to their careers,” said Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha, while addressing the gathering at the celebration of the association reaching the half century mark.
Although it is the women pilots organisation, its membership is open to air traffic controllers, flight dispatchers, engineers, airport managers, sky divers, educators and students . The association has come a long way since Rabia Futehally (82) and Mohini Shroff (81), founded it fifty years ago.
The IWPA aims at reaching out and educating women about Aerospace and Aviation and provide vocational guidance on aviation, disseminating the latest information and developments in the domain of aviation, promoting aviation awareness and education at School and College levels, undertaking aviation awareness programs in association with the Aeronautical Society of India, Aero Club of India, Aerospace Departments of the engineering colleges, the Flying Clubs of India and other such organizations, encouraging academic and career related pursuits in the field of Aviation by granting scholarships and financial assistance to deserving individuals for advance training, appreciating efforts and achievements in Aviation with suitable recognition and awards and promoting activities related to aero sports.
They are spread across main cities of the country and has three Chapters as of today –Mumbai (HQ), the New Delhi Chapter and the Gujarat Chapter.
