Avani Chaturvedi

Squadron Leader Avani Chaturvedi (born 27 October 1993) is an Indian pilot from Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh. She was declared as the first woman combat pilot in India along with two of her cohorts, Mohana Singh Jitarwal, and Bhawana Kanth.[1][2] The trio was inducted into the Indian Air Force fighter squadron in June 2016. They were formally commissioned by then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on 18 June 2016, to serve the nation.[3]

Avani Chaturvedi
Personal details
Born (1993-10-27) 27 October 1993
Satna, Madhya Pradesh, India
SpouseFlt Lt Vineet Chikara
EducationBanasthali University, Rajasthan, India (B.Tech Computer Science)
OccupationFighter Pilot
Military service
Allegiance India
Branch/service Indian Air Force
Rank Squadron Leader
(L-R) Mohana Singh Jitarwal, Avani Chaturvedi and Bhawana Kanth

It was in October 2015 that the Indian Government took the decision to open the fighter stream for women.[4]

Chaturvedi’s achievement has put India on the list of the countries, such as Britain, the United States, Israel, and Pakistan, where women are allowed to fly fighter jets.[5]

Early life and education

Avani was born on 27 October in 1993. Her father, Dinkar Chaturvedi, is a superintending engineer in Water Resource Department of Madhya Pradesh government and her mother is a home maker. She completed her schooling from Deolond, a small town in Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh.[6] Completing her Bachelors in Technology from Banasthali University, Rajasthan in 2014 where she joined the college's flying club which fascinated her to fly. She passed the AFCAT and further was recommended by AFSB.

Chaturvedi likes to play chess, table tennis and to do sketching and painting.

Avani's elder brother, who is an officer in the Indian Army, inspired her to join the Indian Air Force. She also has a few hours of flying experience in the flying club of her college Banasthali University.[7]

Career

She was selected for training at the Air Force Academy and completed the training at the age of 25. After further training, Chaturvedi became a fighter pilot in June 2016.[8][9]

In 2018, Chaturvedi became the first Indian woman pilot to take a solo flight in a MiG-21. In 2018 Avani was promoted to the rank of Flight Lieutenant.[10] In 2023, she became the first woman fighter pilot of the Indian Air Force to take part in an aerial wargame abroad, which she did in Japan.[11]

Chaturvedi is posted in Indian Air Force No. 23 Squadron Panthers in Suratgarh, Rajasthan.[12]

Awards and recognition

In 2018, she was honored with the doctorate degree from Banasthali Vidyapeeth.

On 9 March 2020, Chaturvedi was awarded with Nari Shakti Puraskar by President Ram Nath Kovind.[13]

Personal life

Avni Chaturvedi married Flight Lieutenant Vineet Chikara in November 2019.[14]

See also

References
  1. "Avani, Bhawana, Mohana become IAF's first women fighter pilots - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  2. Krishnamoorthy, Suresh. "First batch of three female fighter pilots commissioned". The Hindu. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  3. Gurung, Shaurya Karanbir (17 July 2019). "IAF pilots test F-21 simulator". The Economic Times. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  4. "Meet Avani Chaturvedi: First Indian woman to fly fighter jet - History created". The Economic Times. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  5. Patley, Sanya (15 August 2023). "How Fighter Pilot Avani Chaturvedi Created History". Women's Web. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  6. "MP girl Avani Chaturvedi to be one amongst India's first three women fighter pilots". english.pradesh18.com. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  7. Team, Editorial (23 February 2018). "Interesting Facts about Avani Chaturvedi, First Female Pilot To Fly Mig-21". SSBToSuccess. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  8. "The first Indian woman to fly a fighter jet". BBC News. 22 February 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  9. "For IAF's first women fighter pilots Mohana Singh, Bhawana Kanth & Avani Chaturvedi, sky is no limit". The Economic Times. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  10. "In a first, woman fighter pilot undertakes solo flight in MiG-21". The Indian Express. 22 February 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  11. "Sky Is The Limit, Says Avani Chaturvedi 1st Woman Pilot To Take Part In War Games Abroad". NDTV.com.
  12. "Bhawana Kanth Is India's First Woman Pilot to Qualify for Combat Missions". NDTV. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  13. "Flying MiG-21 Bison matter of pride: Flt Lt Bhawana Kanth". Livemint. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  14. "देश की पहली महिला फाइटर पायलट अवनी चतुर्वेदी परिणय सूत्र में बंधीं, जानें-'हमसफर' के बारे में". Amar Ujala. 29 November 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
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