First Woman Helicopter Pilot of Indian Navy: Anamika B.Rajeev

Anamika B. Rajeev, a Sub Lieutenant of the Indian Navy, became the first woman helicopter pilot of the Indian Navy. She was among the successful Naval officers of the 102nd Helicopter Conversion Couse who graduated from the Naval Helicopter Training School of the Indian Navy, situated at the naval air station INS Rajali at Arakkonam in the Ranipet district of Tamil Nadu.

She will now fly Naval helicopters such as Sea Kings, ALH Dhruvs, Chetaks and MH-60R Seahawks.

Indian Naval Air Squadron 561

The Indian Naval Air Squadron 561 is the Indian Navy's naval helicopter training school, located at INS Rajali in Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu's Ranipet district. The Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy operates INS Rajali. 

INS Rajali has the distinction of having the longest military runway in Asia.

The British constructed the airfield at Arakkonam in early 1942 for use by the Allies during World War II. It was abandoned after the war and later transferred to the Indian Navy in the 1980s. The Indian Navy rebuilt the airfield and commissioned it as INS Rajali.

The prestigious helicopter training school at INS Rajali has trained 849 pilots of the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, and friendly foreign countries.

Women Pilot  in the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force 

The Indian Navy allowed women to work in the medical wing of the forces until 1992. In 1992, the policy was changed, and women were gradually recruited into all the branches of the Indian Navy. 

Lieutenant Divya Sharma ( New Delhi), Lieutenant Shubhangi Swaroop ( Tilhar, Uttar Pradesh), and Lieutenant Shivangi ( Muzaffarpur, Bihar) were the first three female pilots of the Indian Navy. They graduated in 2020 from the Indian Navy’s Maritime reconnaissance mission on Dornier aircraft.

To date, no women pilot has been recruited by the Indian Navy for fighter aircraft.

In 2018, three women pilots, Avani Chaturvedi of Madhya Pradesh, Mohana Singh of Rajsthan and Bhavana Kanth of Bihar, were commissioned as fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force. 

In 2018, Avani Chaturvedi made history by becoming the first Indian woman pilot to fly a fighter aircraft, MiG-21 Bison alone. 

Wing Commander Namrita Chandi of the Indian Air Force became the first women pilot to fly over the world’s highest battlefield Siachen on 10 February 2001. She is a helicopter pilot of the Indian Air Force.