Preeti Biradar, 26, from Vijayapura, has become the first female commercial pilot from the North Karnataka region.
Ms. Biradar realised her dream after undergoing rigorous training at National Flying Training Institute in Gondia, Maharashtra. An Engineering graduate in Electronics and Communication, she aspired to become a pilot though her parents wanted her to become an IAS officer. “I had no interest in the IAS, thus, I did not accept the suggestion and chose to become a pilot,” she says.
Employed as a co-pilot for IndiGo for three months now, she is in town on vacation to celebrate Vijayadasami with her family. Her father, Sudhir Biradar, a chemist, says that he always encouraged his daughter to pursue her dreams and did everything to help her realise them.
Mr. Biradar said that though the training fee was exorbitantly high, he was ready to bear it for his daughter’s sake. He said that she had always been courageous and committed towards her goals.
The first woman pilot in Vijayapura district, Ms. Biradar regretted that not many girls in the district get the opportunity to pursue higher education. Many parents do no encourage their daughters to complete higher education, she said. “This mentality among parents must be changed. Only then can girls from suburban and rural areas be able to compete with their urban counterparts. Parents’ encouragement has a great impact on children. If there are more parents like mine, I am sure in the future, several girls from this region will be flying aeroplanes,” she said.
