Odisha Girl From Tribal Hinterland Creates Aviation History

Bhubaneswar: If one has the determination and grit, then sky is the limit. Anupriya Lakra from Odisha’s Malkangiri district has proved the adage true by becoming the first tribal girl from the district to become a pilot.

After six years of rigorous training, Anupriya was inducted in a private airline. She will soon join duty as a co-pilot.

The daughter of a constable in Odisha police and a homemaker mother, Anupriya always dreamt of becoming a pilot. To pursue her dream, she left her engineering studies in the middle and joined an aviation academy here in 2012.

“We had always encouraged her to follow her dreams and had always made sure to provide her with all the resources,” Anupriya’s mother told the media.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has also congratulated Anupriya and wished her good luck for the future. In his congratulatory tweet, the CM wrote that she is an epitome of perseverance and determination.