Simply Punjabi
A monthly magazine by India Today
High Flyers
ANILA BHATIA, 47
Born in Nurmahal, Jalandhar District.
Now in Delhi
Training: Karnal Aviation Club (1977-1980)
From childhood, Anila Bhatia knew she was destined to be a pilot. “My brother, a fighter pilot, would always talk about flying. A career in flying looked challenging, interesting, and glamourous. Whenever I saw a plane in the sky, my eyes would be glued to it.”
Bhatia moved to Hyderabad in 1983 when she joined Indian Airlines and was then posted in Delhi from 1987. She resigned in 1994 when private airlines came in. After working for three different airlines she joined Jet Light in 1999 and is now a senior commander.
The accomplished pilot has had 11,000 hours of flying experience and no accidents or injuries till date. Bhatia flies for 23 days a month, all over India as well as to Nepal and Sri Lanka. Her husband is also a pilot for the Haryana state government; they met during their training in Karnal.
Bhatia shares some fond memories: “In 1991 I was about to disembark on a flight from Jammu to Chandigarh. At the time, there was a student agitation in India and students were burning themselves. I was informed that a boy in Jammu with 83 per cent burns needed to be taken to Chandigarh for medical treatment. I ignored all regulations and delayed the flight for an hour to get the boy on board. He survived and I was elated I could save a life.”
Anila Bhatia (right) and Miriya Bhatia Cheema are India’s first mother-daughter flying duo
There are bad memories as well. “In 1990, I was in Ahmedabad getting ready for a flight to Delhi. A passenger saw a woman pilot in the cockpit and got down. He didn’t have faith in us. Can you believe that?”
MIRIYA BHATIA CHEEMA, 19
Raised in Pinjore.
Now in Delhi
Training: Karnal Aviation Club (2007-2008)
A daughter of two pilots, flying was in her blood: “Since childhood I saw my mother dress up in her uniform. I always dreamt of flying with my father.”
Cheema’s father has been taking her out in his planes since childhood. “When I was five I remember sitting in the cockpit. I was thrilled.” She is now a licensed pilot with over 200 hours of flying experience and has applied to several airlines.
“I want to start with Indian Airlines. That’s where my mother started her career.” Cheema’s father is the chief ground instructor at the Karnal Aviation Club (Haryana).
Cheema recalls her first experience of flying alone: “The wind picked up and I had to land. I pulled it off perfectly and everyone congratulated me. The best feeling for a pilot is being appreciated for the hard work.” As for bad memories, luckily, she doesn’t have any yet. “I believe it’s easier for girls to pick up flying as boys love showing off. Girls are more sincere about learning.”
However, the young pilot has already had a couple of frightening encounters in the air. “I was flying with my father from Patiala to Karnal and we got caught in a bad thunderstorm. That was the first time I had flown in gusty winds, but fortunately we landed safely.”
KANWALJIT KAUR, 44
Originally from Ludhiana. Now in Delhi
Training: Sahnewal Airport, Ludhiana (1984-1986)
For Kanwaljit Kaur, flying was a hobby, until addiction crept in and it turned into a permanent profession: “It’s like slow poisoning. Once it gets a hold of you, it won’t let go.” In 1987, she joined Vayudoot, a commercial domestic airline, flying Dornier 228s.
Now a commander with Indian Airlines, she flies the Airbus 319, 320, and 321. She says the profession is lucrative with a monthly salary of about Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh for a senior pilot. But for Kaur, money was not always easy to come by.
“Training for this profession is very expensive, something which normal people can’t afford. I came from a very middle-class family, so, the Punjab government helped me pay for my training.”
She moved from Ludhiana to Delhi in 1986 to join the service and is married to a national-level badminton player. Kaur is mother to a five-year-old and a 16-year-old.
“I dreamt of flying for Indian Airlines when I was training. It was a dream fulfilled when I joined in 1994. I love flying big aircrafts and this airline is great because of its in-depth training and culture,” she says, adding, “There have been no scares, no difficult passengers in my career. My experiences have been all positive and I look forward to many more.”
NEENA SINGH, 40
Born in Hoshiarpur, now based in Delhi
Training:Northern India Flying Club, Jalandhar (1988)
Soaring high for the last 20 years for Indian Airlines, Air Sahara, and Jet Airways, Neena Singh always knew flying was her future. “In 1989, no one could imagine a woman being a pilot. But I was destined to do it.”
She has been able to juggle her profession and family life. “It is a lovely profession with many women coming up. Work hours are flexible, allowing ample time at home.”
Singh flies a 737, going to locations such as Dubai, Bangkok, Colombo, and Katmandu. “For me, every day is a challenging day in the cockpit. I enjoy it thoroughly.”
Singh shares her best memory as a pilot: “On Women’s Day, in 1996, we had an all-women crew flight with a female captain, co-pilot, and cabin crew. We received great reviews from the passengers.”
There were difficult times too: “I feel bad about the times when I had to leave my son at home. It was difficult for me as a mother. At times, I also see passengers treating the cabin crew horribly. That upsets me.”
KARAMJEET KAUR, 40
Originally from Delhi, now in Pondicherry
Training: Patiala Flying Club (1988 – 1990)
“After marriage, I devoted myself to my family.” But once the kids were away in boarding school, her husband egged her to start flying again. “Whenever I heard a flying plane, I would itch to get back.”
After a gap of 15 years, she took her exams in 2005 and landed a job with Air Deccan in 2006. Soon, she left Bangalore and joined her husband in Pondicherry, where he is chief flight instructor.
Kaur completed an instructor’s course and has been the assistant flight instructor at Orient Flight School for three years now. “Getting back into the profession was difficult,” Kaur says.
“My confidence was low. I had gained weight and was unfit. But, I got back into shape and feel great.” Now with 550 hours of flying experience, she is raring to go. “Next, I want to learn how to fly helicopters.”
Kaur shares an anecdote: “When I started training again, night flying was in the syllabus. It was new and I was nervous. I took off, did a complete circuit and had a perfect landing. But my legs were quivering and my heart was pounding. I couldn’t believe I pulled it off successfully.”