- Sub Lieutenant Aastha Poonia becomes the first girl educated as a fighter pilot in the Indian Navy
- Aastha and Lt Atul Kumar Dhull had been offered the 'Wings of Gold' at INS Dega, Visakhapatnam
- Marks a considerable step towards gender inclusivity in Naval Aviation
Sub Lieutenant Aastha Poonia has scripted history as the first woman to be trained as a fighter pilot in the Indian Navy, a major milestone towards gender inclusivity in naval aviation. Together with Lt Atul Kumar Dhull, she received the coveted 'Wings of Gold' from Rear Admiral Janak Bevli, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air), at a graduation ceremony of the Second Basic Hawk Conversion Course on 3 July 2025 at INAS Dega.
The Indian Navy marked the achievement in an X post, dubbing it "a new chapter in Naval Aviation" and underlining the pioneering aspect of Slt Aastha’s feat. Her induction into the fighter stream is testament to the Navy's continued efforts at building a more inclusive force and empowering women through equal opportunity.
Though the Navy has earlier inducted women as pilots and naval air operations officers in multirole aircraft and helicopters, Slt Aastha is the first to be streamed into the fighter aircraft division. Her achievement highlights the Indian Navy's commitment towards fostering ‘Nari Shakti’ and pursuing gender balance within its ranks.
