Kodagu woman shatters glass ceiling, joins IAF as Fighter pilot

Madikeri: From the days when the Indian Air Force was dominated by men, women are now making their presence felt, in one such case a woman from Kodagu has set an example by becoming a Pilot of Indian Air Force (IAF).

Becoming a fighter pilot is no easy and there are fewer young women who try to do that. However, Punya Nanjappa, daughter of Nanjappa and Anu of Madikeri taluk dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot in the fine Indian Army when she was studying in class nine and now her dream has come true.

Punya completed her schooling at St. Joseph’s Central School in Vijayanagar, then pursued her PUC at Vijaya Vittala PU College in Saraswathipuram and Engineering at NIE, Mysuru.

Punya had undergone one year of military training in Hyderabad and in 2019 she was elected to the Indian Air Force as a trainee pilot. Her efforts eventually paid off and she has been selected as a fighter pilot.