Who is Abhilasha Barak, Indian Army's first woman combat aviator?

Captain Abhilasha Barak added her name to the lexicon of powerpuff gals in India on Wednesday. The 26-year-old became front-page news after she scripted history as the first woman officer to join the Army Aviation Corps as Combat Aviator.

An elated announcement from the ADG PI - Indian Army - the Army's official social media platform of the Additional Directorate General of Public Information, IHQ of MoD (Army) - confirmed it. The ADG PI, which has over 7.5 mn followers on the social media handle, termed it a "Golden Letter Day in the history of Indian aviation."


Using the hashtag #InStrideWithTheFuture - in sync with the Army's changing social mores where more and more women are now being seen in hitherto male bastions - the tweet also mentioned that Barak has been "awarded the Coveted Wings along with 36 Army Pilots by Director General & Colonel Commandant Army Aviation."

"Young Aviators are now ready to spread their wings in Combat Aviation Squadrons," the tweet read.

Barak was felicitated with coveted "wings" along with 36 Army pilots during a ceremony held in Nashik at the Combat Army Aviation Training School.

The Army said that 15 women officers had expressed their interest in joining Army Aviation. However, only two officers were selected after the Pilot Aptitude Battery Test and Medical. Both officers were trained at the Combat Army Aviation Training School in Nashik, it further added.
The Army Aviation Corps is a component of the Army that was formed in November 1986. The Corps is headed by a Lt Gen rank officer known as Director General of Army Aviation.

Who Is Abhilasha Barak?
The 26-year-old is an alumnus of The Lawrence School, Sanawar. Barak, daughter of Col S Om Singh (Retd), hails from Haryana and was commissioned into the Army Air Defence Corps in September 2018.

She completed her graduation in B Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Delhi Technological University in 2016. She also secured a placement at Deloitte, USA.
During her attachment with the Corps of Army Air Defence, Barak was selected as a Contingent Commander for Presentation of Colours to Army Air Defence by President Ram Nath Kovind. Her other accomplishments include a number of professional military courses before joining the Army Aviation Corps.

Women In Uniform Going Places
Many talented women in the Indian forces have been making the country proud and creating history. Last year, Maya Sudan, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir, became the first woman fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF). Hailing from the village of Lamberi, of border tehsil of Nowshera in Rajouri, she commissioned into the IAF as Flying Officer. Maya has become the 12th woman officer and first from Rajouri to be inducted as a fighter pilot in the IAF.

Earlier in 2019, flight lieutenant Hina Jaiswal created history by becoming the first Indian Woman Flight Engineer. She achieved the feat after completing the prestigious Flight Engineers’ course 112 Helicopter Unit, Air Force Station, Yelahanka.