Who is the Indian Army's first woman combat aviator?

Captain Abhilasha Barak became the first woman officer of the Indian Army to qualify as a combat aviator (helicopter pilot) on 25 May 2022. She completed the combat aviation course at the Combat Army Aviation Training School (CAATS) in Nashik, Maharashtra, and was awarded the coveted "wings" along with 36 other Army pilots. She joined the Army Aviation Corps and was posted to a squadron flying combat helicopters.

About Abhilasha Barak:

• She is from Haryana and comes from a military family; her father is a retired Army officer.
• She graduated in engineering (B.Tech) before joining the Army.
• She was commissioned into the Army Air Defence in 2018.

About the Army Aviation Corps:

• It is the aviation arm of the Indian Army, formed on 1 November 1986.
• It operates helicopters such as the Chetak, Cheetah, the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) "Dhruv", the "Rudra" (weaponised ALH), the Light Combat Helicopter "Prachand", and the AH-64E Apache attack helicopter.
• Its pilots fly missions such as reconnaissance, observation, casualty evacuation, supply to high-altitude posts (such as the Siachen glacier), and attack.

Until 2021, women officers in the Army Aviation Corps were only allowed to do ground duties such as air traffic control. The Army opened the combat aviation stream to women in 2021.

Women in the Indian Army:

• Priya Jhingan was the first woman to join the Indian Army (1993), as an officer in the Judge Advocate General's department.
• Since 2020, after a Supreme Court judgement, women officers have been granted permanent commission in many branches.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Bhawana Kanth is an Air Force fighter pilot.
• ✗Shivangi Singh is the first woman Rafale pilot of the Air Force.
• ✗Priya Jhingan was the first woman cadet to join the Indian Army (1993).