Is first and only woman pilot flying Rafale fighter jet
Munish Sood
MANDI:
India’s only woman Rafale pilot, Flight Lieutenant Shivangi Singh, once again brought glory to the nation by being seen alongside President Droupadi Murmu in a Rafale fighter jet at the Ambala Air Force Station.
The flight lasted about 35 minutes, covering nearly 700 km per hour, and became a proud moment not only for the country but also for Himachal Pradesh, where Shivangi is now a daughter-in-law.
Her recent feat also put an end to Pakistan’s baseless propaganda, which had falsely claimed during Operation Sindoor that an Indian woman pilot had been captured. The flight, carried out in full public view with the President on board, sent a strong message of truth, confidence and national pride.
From Varanasi to the skies
Born in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, Shivangi Singh grew up with a dream to fly. Her inspiration came from a childhood visit to the Air Force Museum in New Delhi, which sparked her interest in aviation.
After graduating from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), she joined the Air Force Academy in Hyderabad, where she trained rigorously before being commissioned in 2017 as part of the second batch of women fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force.
She began her flying career with the MiG-21 Bison, one of the most demanding aircraft in the Air Force fleet. In 2020, she was selected to join India’s Rafale programme, a milestone that made her the country’s first and only woman Rafale pilot. Since then, she has represented India in international exercises, including Exercise Orion 2023 in France, and flown operational missions in sensitive zones such as Ladakh and the Line of Control.
Now, a proud connection with Himachal
In December last year, Shivangi married Flight Lieutenant Akil Sharma, a resident of Kasba village in Daroh, Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. Akil too serves in the Indian Air Force, carrying forward a family legacy of service — his grandfather Gyan Chand Sharma served in the Dogra Regiment, and his father Sunil Kumar in the Corps of Signals.
This bond between Shivangi and Akil has created a strong emotional link between the skies of Ambala and the hills of Himachal. In Kangra, villagers proudly refer to her as “Himachal ki Bahu, Bharat ki Beti” — a daughter-in-law of the hills who now guards India’s skies.
Flight that spoke louder than words
President Droupadi Murmu, after completing the flight with Shivangi’s squadron, described the experience as “unforgettable” and said it filled her with immense pride in the nation’s defence strength. The sortie was led by Group Captain Amit Gehani, Commanding Officer of the 17 Squadron “Golden Arrows”, the IAF’s first Rafale unit based at Ambala.
The flight was also seen as a symbolic reply to Pakistan’s false narrative. After Operation Sindoor, several Pakistani news outlets had spread fake reports that an Indian Rafale had been shot down and a woman pilot captured.
Shivangi’s appearance beside the President in her flight gear decisively exposed that lie, reminding everyone that truth and professionalism always stand taller than propaganda.
