Meet the Female Fighter Pilot Set to Fly India’s Indigenous LCA Tejas Fighter Jet

Squadron Leader Mohana Singh made history by being the first female fighter pilot to join the exclusive 18 "Flying Bullets" squadron. The squadron is responsible for flying India's own LCA Tejas fighter plane, which is "Made in India." 

As per the news agency ANI, Mohana Singh participated in the historic flight by three Vice Chiefs of the three armies during the recent exercise "Tarang Shakti" near Jodhpur. This achievement of hers is a demonstration of the Indian Air Force's dedication to female empowerment and equality.

Who is Mohana Singh?

Mohana Singh was among the first female fighter pilots in India. She was one of the first batch of three female pilots admitted into the IAF's fighter stream.

Mohana Singh flew MiG-21s before joining the exclusive 18 "Flying Bullets" squadron. She was assigned to the LCA squadron, which is stationed at the Naliya air base in the Gujarat region near the Pakistani border.

Mohana Singh is from the Rajasthani area of Jhunjhunu. Her father is an IAF warrant officer, and her grandpa was a flight gunner at the Aviation Research Center.

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Mohana Singh: Recipient of Naari Shakti Award 2020

She was one of the three Flight Lieutenants to receive the 2020 Naari Shakti Award. The Indian Air Force then posted to X, stating, "Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria CAS and Mrs Asha Bhadauria President AFWWA met and congratulated Flt Lt Avani Chaturvedi, Flt Lt Bhawna Kanth and Flt Lt Mohana Singh on being awarded 'Naari Shakti Award-2020'."

Mohana Singh made history in 2019 by becoming the first female pilot in the Indian Air Force to fly a "Hawk" aircraft during the day.

Women in IAF

Although female pilots have been operating helicopters and transport aircraft in the Indian Air Force since 1991, the government did not let women to operate fighter jet cockpits until 2016.

After the government opened the fighter stream to women in 2016, the Indian Air Force (IAF) currently employs about 20 female fighter pilots. The two other women who were compatriots of Mohana Singh, Sqn Ldr Bhawna Kanth and Sqn Ldr Avni Chaturvedi, are currently operating the Su-30 MKI fighter jets in the western desert.

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