Hyderabad: As the first woman fighter pilot from the south finds her wings, Flight Cadet Meghana Shanbough hailing from Marle village in Chikmagalur, the proud holder of the title says that her horizons are finally opening up.
Meghana’s convocation ceremony was attended by her whole family including her grandfather and there was not one dry eye among her parents, grandparent or brother who all claimed that Meghana has touched the sky for them.
The first Fauji member of her family, Meghana knew that the sky belonged to her in 2016 when she read about the Indian Air Force’s three first women fighter pilots. “I knew then that no matter what the difficulty, this is my aim and I have to follow it.”
Meghana and her brother moved into residential schools from fifth and second grade respectively. Meghana said, “It was my wish and I told my parents that I wanted to move out which they supported knowing that I had a very focused mind and that I was doing it for finding my feet and goals at a very young age. After my schooling, I joined Sree Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering in Mysore which I believe was a turning point in my life.” A part of many trekking, rafting and mountaineering expeditions, she knew that her dreams were not limited to the ground alone. Her first solo airborne experience in August 2017 was on board a Pilatus. “I was in control of an aircraft for 20 minutes. It was my call and I was inside the cockpit all alone which showed me that the future can be really bright. Now I hope to pilot bigger and faster planes.”
Meghana’s mother, C. V. Sobha is a judge at the district consumer forum of Udupi and her father M. K. Ramesh, is an advocate based in Delhi.
