Perfect! Let’s enrich the story further by honoring Prem Mathur, a true pioneer. Here’s an updated and more comprehensive news article including all three milestones:
India Leads the World in Women Pilots, Thanks to Pioneers Like Prem Mathur and Durba Banerjee
New Delhi, April 9 — India has soared to the top of global aviation rankings when it comes to women in the cockpit. A 2018 report by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) revealed that 13 per cent of Indian pilots are women, a figure that vastly outpaces the global average of just 5 per cent. In real terms, this means that one in every eight flights in India is flown by a woman—a remarkable milestone in a traditionally male-dominated profession.
The country’s progress is rooted in a legacy of courageous women who paved the way for generations to come.
The journey began with Prem Mathur, who made history in 1951 by becoming India’s first woman commercial pilot, flying for Deccan Airways. Her breakthrough not only challenged norms but also opened doors for many more to follow.
Building on that legacy, Durba Banerjee etched another historic moment on May 14, 1987, when she became the first woman to co-pilot an Airbus A300 on the Calcutta–New Delhi–Calcutta route. She went on to become one of the most respected figures in Indian aviation.
Today, airlines such as IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Air India are at the forefront of gender-inclusive hiring practices, actively recruiting and training women pilots. These efforts have played a vital role in establishing India as a world leader in gender diversity in aviation.
As India continues to lead with its high-flying women, the country pays tribute to pioneers like Prem Mathur and Durba Banerjee—proof that the sky is not the limit, but just the beginning.
