Hina Jaiswal Commissioned as IAF's First Woman Flight Engineer

Flight Lieutenant Hina Jaiswal has created history by becoming the first Indian woman flight engineer. She successfully completed the Flight Engineers’ course at 112 Helicopter Unit attached to the Air Force Station, Yelahanka near Bangalore.

Commissioned on January 5, 2015, in the engineering branch of the IAF, she has served as chief of firing team and battery commander in a frontline Surface to Air Missile squadron, before being selected for the Flight Engineers’ course.

Hina earned her Flight Engineer’s wing on Friday. During the course of the last six months of gruelling training, she displayed unflinching commitment, dedication and perseverance, said an official statement from the Defence Ministry.

Flt Lt Hina Jaiswal hails from Chandigarh and has completed her Bachelor of Engineering degree from Panjab University. The only daughter of D K Jaiswal and Anita Jaiswal, Hina dubbed her achievement a “dream come true”. Since childhood, she had aspired to don the soldier’s uniform and take to the skies as an aviator. The realisation of that dream took its root from the alma mater of Heli-lift.

As a flight engineer, Hina would subsequently be posted to operational helicopter units of the IAF. While in the unit, she would be routinely called upon to operate in demanding and stressful conditions, right from the icy heights of the Siachen Glacier to the seas of the Andamans.

In the last few decades, the Indian defence forces have taken very long strides to become more gender inclusive. Since 1993, the IAF has commissioned women in the officer cadre. They have also been inducted as pilots in various streams of the IAF.