Who is Bhawana Kanth? Meet the Indian Air Force's first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
Bhawana Kanth was among the first three women to be commissioned as fighter pilots in the IAF in 2016.
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth has made history as India's first woman 'Top Gun' pilot, having recently graduated from the Indian Air Force's (IAF) elite Fighter Combat Leader course. Born in Darbhanga, Bihar, Bhawana always harboured a dream of flying, which she fulfilled in 2016 when the Centre opened the fighter cockpit to women.
She became one of the first three women to be commissioned as fighter pilots in the IAF, following Avani Chaturvedi and Mohana Singh. Bhawana has since demonstrated her skills by executing her first solo flight on the MiG-21 Bison and later transitioning to the Sukhoi Su-30MKI. In 2021, she became the first woman to participate in the Republic Day parade and flypast.
Her recent graduation from the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) in Gwalior marks the pinnacle of her career, cementing her status as a master tactician capable of leading complex combat missions.
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