HUBBALLI: It was a perfect Father’s Day for Ramesh Shanbhag, whose daughter Meghana became the first woman fighter pilot from South India. Meghana graduated as Flying Officer from the Indian Air Force Academy at Dundigal in Hyderabad on Saturday. Since then, his phone has not stopped ringing. Congratulatory messages are pouring from every quarter and the family is quite overwhelmed.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Ramesh recalled the journey of his daughter who has now achieved a rare feat. “Meghana always dreamed of doing something different and she achieved it. It’s a proud moment for all of us. She will be flying for the country and will to be trained on the Hawk aircraft. I cannot wait for her to finish training and join the league of first few women pilots of the Indian Air Force,” he said.
“She was in New Delhi preparing for her IAS examinations after completing her engineering course. She was confident she would become an IAS or IPS officer. Around that time, a notification from the Indian Air Force caught her attention. She gave the test, passed her medicals too after which she trained at the Indian Indian Air Force Academy in Dundigul, Hyderabad,” Ramesh Shanbhag said.