Who is Bhawana Kanth? Meet the Indian Air Force's first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot

Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth achieved yet another historic milestone — she is the first woman to graduate from the Indian Air Force's (IAF) elite Fighter Combat Leader course.

Completing 20 weeks of gruelling advanced combat flying training, Bhawana is now one of the exceptionally rare breed of officers to qualify from India's equivalent of the prestigious "Top Gun" school, which prepares them for complex combat operations.

Who is Bhawana Kanth?

Born and raised in Darbhanga, Bihar, Bhawana Kanth harboured a lifelong ambition to fly. That childhood dream materialised into national history in 2016 when the Centre decided to open the fighter cockpit to women on an experimental basis.

Bhawana was among the first three women—alongside Avani Chaturvedi and Mohana Singh—to be commissioned as fighter pilots in the IAF.

Reflecting on this monumental shift in India's aviation history, Bhawana noted that women were always ready for the skies. “For me, it was a childhood dream. Once I got the opportunity, I didn't take a second to grab it,” she said in an early interview, asserting that the timing was simply a delayed realisation of what was always inevitable.

Mastering MiG-21 and Sukhoi-30MKI

Bhawana Kanth entered the fighter squadron in November 2017. By March 2018, she executed her first solo flight on the MiG-21 Bison, a notoriously demanding interceptor aircraft.

Proving her mettle, she subsequently transitioned to the Sukhoi Su-30MKI, a twinjet multirole air-superiority fighter that serves as the heavy-hitting backbone of the IAF's modern fleet.

In 2021, she added another feather to her hat, becoming the first woman fighter pilot to participate in the Republic Day parade and flypast, showcasing India's aerial might to the world.

Elite ‘Top Gun’ milestone

Bhawana Kanth's recent graduation from the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) in Gwalior marks the apex of her career thus far. TACDE is the IAF's most demanding training establishment. The highly selective five-month programme accepts only about one in 100 IAF pilots.

The gruelling course rigorously trains officers in advanced combat tactics, complex weapons handling, and high-G aerial manoeuvres required for frontline operations.

Graduating as a Fighter Combat Leader cements her status as a master tactician capable of orchestrating and leading complex combat missions.

Life beyond the cockpit

In 2020, Bhawana Kanth was conferred the Nari Shakti Puraskar, India's highest civilian honour for women, by the President of India.

Internationally, Bhawana has emerged as a powerful voice for gender parity in defence. During the 2024 World Defence Show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, she represented India as part of a tri-service delegation of women officers. Taking the stage as a guest speaker, she strongly advocated for expanding leadership and command roles for women across global armed forces.

Despite her soaring public profile and trail of "firsts," Bhawana maintains a grounded persona off the tarmac. On social media, she keeps a relatively low profile with a private Instagram account with 11,000 followers.

Her bio hints at a well-rounded life beyond the G-suits and jet engines, listing simple passions: food, fitness, and fun.