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Who is Avani Chaturvedi — 1st IAF woman pilot to be part of wargames abroad
The exercise Veer Guardian 2023 will be carried out from January 16 to January 26 at the Hyakuri Air Base and its surrounding airspace in Omitama, and the Iruma Air Base in Sayama in Japan.
For the first time, an Indian Air Force woman fighter pilot, squadron leader Avani Chaturvedi, will be part of the Indian contingent for the aerial war games to be held outside the country.
The exercise Veer Guardian 2023 will be carried out from January 16 to January 26 at the Hyakuri Air Base and its surrounding airspace in Omitama, and the Iruma Air Base in Sayama in Japan, news agency ANI reported.
Who is squadron leader Avani Chaturvedi?
> Avani Chaturvedi, India's one of the first three woman fighter pilots, will be leaving for Japan shortly for participating in the exercise.
> Chaturvedi is a Su-30MKI pilot.
> Chaturvedi's batchmate and part of the troika of first woman fighter pilots in the force squadron leader Bhavna Kanth termed the Su-30MKIs operated by the Indian Air Force as one of the best and most lethal platforms armed with indigenous weapon systems.
> Chaturvedi, along with flying officers Kanth and Mohana Singh, have emerged as the most recognisable faces of women in the IAF after being assigned to the fighter stream.
> The IAF is the only one of India’s three defence arms to allow women in combat positions. Around a dozen countries, including China and Pakistan, allow women to fly fighter planes.
> Chaturvedi was born and brought up in Madhya Pradesh and did her schooling there. She has a degree in Bachelor of Technology from Banasthali (university). Chaturvedi learned aviation as an additional discipline at the campus aviation school.
> Chaturvedi underwent six months of intensive training at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, Hyderabad, before she was inducted into the IAF fighter squadron.
