Meet Captain Abhilasha Barak, India’s First Female Combat Aviator

Pic courtesy Twitter/ADG-PI Indian Army

New Delhi: Captain Abhilasha Barak has made history by becoming India’s first female Combat Aviator.

“Golden Letter Day in the history of #IndianArmy Aviation.. Captain Abhilasha Barak becomes the First Woman Officer to join #ArmyAviationCorps as Combat Aviator after successful completion of training,” Indian Army informed on Wednesday.

Captain Abhilasha has been awarded the ‘coveted wings’ along with 36 Army Pilots by Director General & Colonel Commandant Army Aviation, Additional Directorate General of Public Information, IHQ of MoD (Army) tweeted, sharing pictures of the ceremony.

Earlier, women were only part of ground duties in the Army Aviation Corps. Last June, two female officers were selected for helicopter pilot training for the first time.

A total of 15 women officers had applied to join Army Aviation. Of whom only two made the grade after Pilot Aptitude Battery Test and going through medical tests.

They were then trained at the Combat Army Aviation Training School in Nashik.