New Delhi: As a young girl growing up in Bihar, Bhawana Kanth would chase jets across the sky, watching them vanish into the horizon. Years later, that early fascination transformed into a career in the cockpit of a fighter aircraft and eventually led her into the specialized ranks of military combat leadership.
In August 2026, Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first woman officer in the Indian Air Force to qualify as a Fighter Combat Leader. She completed the rigorous advanced training at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment located in Gwalior.
When Kanth first set her sights on the military, she was unaware of the barriers that blocked women from entering combat aviation. Initially assuming that joining the armed forces meant she would automatically get to fly fighter jets, she only learned about the gender restrictions after joining the academy. However, her ambition remained unchanged.
The turning point arrived in 2016 when the Indian Air Force officially opened the fighter pilot stream to women. Kanth was commissioned alongside Avani Chaturvedi and Mohana Singh, establishing the trio as the nation's first women fighter pilots.
Following her commissioning, Kanth joined a fighter squadron in 2017 and completed her inaugural solo flight on a MiG-21 Bison in March 2018. By May 2019, she achieved the distinction of becoming the first woman fighter pilot in India qualified to undertake daytime missions on a fighter aircraft.
Her career continued to accumulate accolades and historic firsts. She was honored with the Nari Shakti Puraskar in 2020 and subsequently became the first woman fighter pilot to participate in the Republic Day parade and flypast in 2021.
Her latest qualification brings a new level of professional demands. The Fighter Combat Leader course trains pilots for complex air combat operations, advanced tactical planning, and mission leadership. Alongside these operational advancements, Kanth has transitioned from flying the MiG-21 Bison to operating the Sukhoi-30MKI.
Reflecting on her trajectory, Kanth encourages young women and aspirants not to fear failure or the prospect of making mistakes. Speaking on career resilience, she noted that setbacks are inevitable along any challenging path, advising future generations to embrace failure, learn from it, and keep moving forward.
From chasing aircraft in her childhood to commanding advanced tactical operations, Kanth's career demonstrates how policy changes and persistent determination can turn unconventional paths into new norms for the armed forces.