Success Story: Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth has made history as India's first female "Top Gun" combat pilot. She achieved this feat after completing the 20-week elite Fighter Combat Leader (FCL) course at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE). Commissioned in June 2016, she was part of the first batch of women fighter pilots in the IAF alongside Avani Chaturvedi and Mohana Singh. Hailing from Bihar, she continues to break barriers in aviation.
Early Life of Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth
Born in Darbhanga, Bihar, Bhawana Kanth spent her childhood in the Barauni Refinery township. Her father worked in the refinery as an electrical engineer for the Indian Oil Corporation. Her mother, Radha Devi, is a homemaker. She completed her primary education at DAV Public School in Barauni before becoming an engineering graduate in Medical Electronics from BMS College of Engineering, Bengaluru.
Chasing her dream to fly, she changed her materialistic ambition to a national feat by getting selected in the Indian Air Force. After a rigorous six months of training, she became a female fighter pilot.
First Female To Participate In Republic Day Parade 2021
In November 2017, Kanth joined the fighter squadron and completed her first solo flight on the MiG-21 Bison in March 2018. Later, she was transferred to Sukhoi-30MKI, one of the IAF's most advanced fighter aircraft.
She etched her name by becoming the first female fighter to participate in the Indian Air Force (IAF) tableau for India's 72nd Republic Day celebrations in 2021. She was part of the display that showcased Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, Light Combat Helicopter, and the Sukhoi-30 fighter jet. This milestone added to her legacy as one of the country's pioneering trio of women fighter pilots inducted in 2016.
Also Conferred Nari Shakti Puraskar Award In 2020
On the occasion of Women’s Day in 2020, she was conferred the Nari Shakti Puraskar by the President of India. The award is a testament to her inspiring journey and to paving the way for other women in the armed forces.