Shivangi Singh, Indian Air Force’s first female Rafale jet pilot, on International Women’s Day described the training as ‘thrilling and satisfying’. The 26-year-old was part of the IAF tableau at the Republic Day parade and flew the French twin-engine aircraft. 

Singh admitted that the fighter training was tough but her hard work paid off rich dividends. 

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“Experience of becoming a fighter pilot has been thrilling and satisfying. The fighter training was tough. High-end technology absorption required that I work hard. I’ve been trained exactly like my male colleagues,” she told ANI on Tuesday. 

Shivangi Singh became the second female fighter jet pilot to be part of the Indian Air Force tableau on Republic Day. The first was Flight Lieutenant Bhawna Kanth. 

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“The machine does not recognize gender, it acts as per the inputs given to it. I feel that hard work pays rich dividends,” the Varanasi-based pilot said. 

Singh joined the Indian Air Force in 2017. She was commissioned in the force’s second batch of women fighter pilots. She flew MiG-21 Bison aircraft before becoming a Rafale pilot. She is part of the IAF’s Golden Arrows squadron based out of Ambala in Punjab.

International Women’s Day is observed on March 8 every year. Addressing women saint at Dhordo in Kutch district on the occassion, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the government is mulling raising the age for women to marry to 21 years from 18 now, “considering that sons and daughters are equal”.

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“In a nation which considers this Earth as mother, the progress of women always gives strength to empowerment of the nation. Today, the priority of the country is on improving the lives of women. The priority of the country today is to ensure full participation of women in India’s development journey,” he said in a virtual seminar.