As a young girl, all Avani Chaturvedi wanted was to fly like a bird. Little did she know at that time that not only will her childhood dream come true one day, but also she would go on to make history.

Flying Cadet Avani Chaturvedi, along with flying cadets Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh, are on the threshold of entering history books in the country by being the first three women cadets to be cleared for flying fighter aircraft. "It doesn't feel very special just as yet. Our main focus is to undergo training and live up to the expectations of our instructors and excel in all examinations,'' says Flying Cadet Bhawana Kanth.

The three women flying cadets are undergoing flying training at the Indian Air Force base in Hakempet along with their male counterparts. There is no special treatment for the women cadets. They undergo the same rigourous training as the men. "No concessions for us. Physical fitness or mental robustness, the tests are the same,'' says Flying cadet Mohana Singh.

While women pilots have been flying helicopters and transport aircraft since 1991 in the IAF, it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who finally took the decision to open the cockpits of fighter aircraft for women. There was some reluctance initially but the IAF is now going all out to make this experiment a success.

"This is a learning experience for us. This is the first time we will be putting women cadets in the fighter aircraft cockpit. There are lessons for all of us. We will benefit from these experiences,'' sources in the IAF headquarters said.

The three women cadets have undergone the mandatory 55 hours of flying on Stage I trainer -- the Pilatus PC 7 basic trainer. They are currently undergoing Stage II training on the Kiran Mark II. Once they clear this stage, they will graduate to the Advanced Jet Trainers (AJT) for fighter flying training.

"The IAF will get its first woman fighter pilot on June 18, 2016,'' Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, chief of air staff announced to thunderous applause addressing a seminar on women in uniform - on the occasion of International Women's Day. The women cadets will have to clear every physical, mental and psychological test to be cleared for flying fighter jets.

"So far they are performing better than our expectations. They are mentally very alert and physically as fit meeting all the requirements. Once we put them in a fighter cockpit we will test them to take more than 5 G + (more than five times the gravitational pull the body experiences) while flying,'' sources added. The male fighter pilots undergo up to 9 G pull during some complex maneuvers. The women cadets will have to undergo the same before being cleared for combat fighter flying.

The missions envisaged for women fighter pilots will be slightly different from their male counter parts initially, according to top sources in the IAF. The women fighter pilots will fly combat air patrols (CAPs) and protect Indian skies from hostile elements.

"They will not fly over enemy territory. Why put them or the country at risk of women fighter pilots being shot down over hostile territory God forbid. There are several missions that are flown in our own territory which are as complex and require as much expertise," sources added.

The three women cadets as of now are training hard to touch the sky with glory.

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