JODHPUR: Squadron Leader Mohana Singh has etched her name in history as the first woman fighter pilot to join the prestigious 'Flying Bullets' squadron, which operates India's indigenously developed LCA Tejas fighter jets.
Singh recently participated in the 'Tarang Shakti' exercise in Jodhpur, where she was part of a significant flight alongside three Vice Chiefs of the Indian Armed Forces. Her achievement highlights the Indian Air Force's dedication to gender equality and empowerment within its ranks.
Career, Education, and Achievements
Mohana Singh is among the pioneering women fighter pilots of India, having been inducted into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force (IAF). She was one of three female pilots honored with the 'Naari Shakti Award-2020'. The Indian Air Force celebrated this milestone with a congratulatory message from Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria and Mrs. Asha Bhadauria.
In 2019, Singh became the first woman IAF pilot to be fully operational by day on the 'Hawk' aircraft. She previously served with No. 3 Squadron Cobras, flying the MiG-21 from NAL Air Force Station in Bikaner. Recently, she has been transferred to the LCA Tejas squadron stationed at Naliya Air Base in Gujarat.
Singh has expressed her pride in working alongside her male colleagues, stating, “In the IAF, we have embraced gender equality in the truest sense. The three of us work alongside our male colleagues to accomplish the tasks assigned to the squadron.”
Since the Indian government opened the fighter stream to women in 2016, the IAF now boasts around 20 female fighter pilots. Singh’s peers, Squadron Leaders Bhawna Kanth and Avni Chaturvedi, are currently flying Su-30 MKI fighter jets in the western desert.
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