The sky is the limit: How these Indian women pilots smashed a male monopoly

From Sarla Thukral flying planes before independence to Abhilasha Barak becoming a combat aviator in the Army Aviator Corps, these are the women who have paved the way for Sania Mirza and more

Daughter of a TV mechanic from Mirzapur, Sania Mirza inched one step closer to achieving her dream of becoming a fighter pilot when on Thursday, she secured a seat in the National Defence Academy (NDA).

Mirza secured 149th rank in the defence academy's entrance exam and will join the NDA at Khadakwasla near Pune on December 27. Talking to ETV Bharat, Mirza said, "There were only two seats reserved for the women in the fighter pilot wing. I failed to grab a seat in the first attempt. However, I managed to bag a seat in the second attempt."

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