Uttar Pradesh resident Shubhangi Swaroop on Thursday became the first woman to be inducted as a pilot in the Indian Navy, PTI reported.
Besides Swaroop, Astha Segal from New Delhi, Puducherry’s Roopa A and Sakthi Maya S from Kerala became the first women to ever be inducted as officers at the Naval Armament Inspectorate. The women were inducted at a passing out parade held at the Ezhimala Naval Academy in Kerala’s Kannur district attended by Navy Chief Sunil Lanba.
“I know that this is not just an exciting opportunity, but also a great responsibility,” Swaroop, daughter of a Naval commander, told The Times of India.
The NAI is responsible for auditing and assessing the state of the Navy’s weaponry. Southern Naval Command spokesperson Sreedhar Warrier told PTI that the four women will undergo training before they are employed on duty.
Swaroop will be trained at the Air Force Academy at Hyderabad which trains pilots of the Army, Navy and the Air Force, he said. She will soon be flying the Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft.
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