Now Reading: Bhawana Kanth becomes India’s first woman Fighter Combat Leader
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Bhawana Kanth becomes India’s first woman Fighter Combat Leader
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth has become the first Indian woman to complete the Indian Air Force’s 20-week Fighter Combat Leader course at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment in Gwalior. The…
The Story in Brief
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth has become the first Indian woman to complete the Indian Air Force’s 20-week Fighter Combat Leader course at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment in Gwalior. The demanding programme trains selected fighter pilots in air combat tactics, mission planning, weapons employment and operational leadership. Kanth, from Darbhanga, was commissioned in 2016 in the first batch of India’s women fighter pilots. She earlier became the first Indian woman cleared for daytime fighter missions in 2019, flying the MiG-21 Bison before moving to the Su-30 MKI.
The Times of India also reports that Captain Shivani Sehrawat is the first woman officer appointed aide-de-camp to the Army chief. She took charge in July under General Dhiraj Seth. An ADC serves as a senior commander’s personal staff officer and is selected for service record, discipline and knowledge of military protocol.
The Indian Opinion
The easy story is that one course proves women’s full equality in the armed forces. The opposite claim, that such milestones are symbolic and have no operational value, is just as lazy. The FCL course involves tactics, weapons employment and mission planning, while an ADC role demands trust and protocol skills. The harder test is whether more women reach these demanding posts each year, and whether their career progression matches their male peers. The next useful number is the share of women in advanced combat and command appointments.
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, indiatoday.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
