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Women in Aviation India (WAI) held its 3rd edition of the iconic Awards – Giving Wings to Dreams 2024 at Roseate House New Delhi, felicitating 37 women achievers who have contributed significantly to the aviation sector. The award ceremony took place in the distinguished presence of Shri Vumlunmang Vualnam, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India and other eminent dignitaries present at the ceremony included Smt. Usha Padhee, IAS, Principal Secretary, Commerce & Transport Dept., Govt. of Odisha and Mr. Vipin Kumar, IAS – Chairman AAI.
These Awards recognize excellence in diverse fields of aviation and help build a value chain where achievers inspire the next generation. Following a thorough selection process, led by an eminent jury comprising of stalwarts of the industry, successful women aviators across categories of airside operations, terminal operations, ground support, flight dispatchers, airline security, fire rescue, engineering, communication, cabin crew and flight operations were felicitated at the award ceremony. Women achievers from nodal aviation authorities BCAS, DGCA, CISF and Pawan Hans were also recognized for service excellence.
“At the Ministry of Civil Aviation it is a very satisfying moment for us to see this initiative of Women in Aviation India being applauded by our honourable president and prime minister. Through our collaboration with WAI, we are helping women break barriers and are empowering them to lead in this fast-growing sector. India’s aviation infrastructure has expanded exponentially, with the number of airports more than doubling from 74 to 157 over the past decade. Passenger numbers have surged from 11 crore to 22 crore annually, and the aircraft fleet has grown from 400 to 800, with projections to reach 1,400 within five years. So there is an immense opportunity for women in the aviation sector and to become part of this growth story,” said Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam. He underscored the government’s dedication to integrating women into the expanding drone industry, linking this initiative to the broader transformation underway in India’s aviation sector.
He further praised the contributions of women pioneers of the sector who have already paved the way in aviation, urging them to harness emerging opportunities in the drone sector, regional airlines and emerging areas of the aviation ecosystem. The Secretary emphasized that women’s participation is key to sustaining the momentum of growth, making them indispensable to the future of aviation in India.
Speaking on the occasion, Radha Bhatia, President, Women in Aviation India said: “India today is shining on the world stage! It is time for all forces to unite, especially to inspire and encourage the next generation of young girls and women to be a part of this thriving industry. While India has the largest number of women pilots in the world, we are rooting for equanimous growth across all verticals of aviation! In this relentless pursuit of our mission, we are reaching out to remote corners of the country to inspire and encourage young girls to join the aviation industry. Many of these girls have never seen an aircraft or have never been exposed to the world of aviation. Through these awards we aspire to felicitate outstanding achievers, who pass on the baton to the next generation! This whirlwind is what we hope will someday nurture leaders of the aviation industry tomorrow!”
Giving Wings to Dreams Awards are a grand culmination of a series of Girls in Aviation Day programs supported by state governments, airports, schools, colleges and other stakeholders, celebrated across 14 cities in India, reaching beyond metros such as Delhi and Mumbai to cities including Srinagar, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Leh, Bhubaneswar, Agra, Dehradun, Odisha and Srikakulam. Through the Girls in Aviation Day series this year, under the theme ‘Chhu Lengi Aasman Bharat Ki Betiyan’, WAI reached out to a large number of girl students from the 11th and 12th grades wherein we invited aviation experts, aviation institutions, corporate entities, students and academic institutions to come together to be a part of this mission as a CSR initiative. Shri Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation, Government of India, graced the program in Srikakulam, his constituency where he inspired and encouraged the young girl students, sharing his vision of writing a golden chapter of aviation. He shared that he hopes the initiative will highlight the possibilities of women in the aviation sector, encourage them more, and will bring new excitement to North Andhra girls. The Hon’ble Minister wholeheartedly congratulated Smt. Radha Bhatia, founder of Women in Aviation India and members who are conducting awareness camps across the country.
For over nine years ‘Girls in Aviation Day’ (GIAD) has been celebrated across 30 cities in India, touching the lives of more than 30,000 girls in person and multi fold otherwise. As part of WAI’s core initiatives, it connects with NGOs, schools, colleges and universities to mentor girl students, especially in middle & senior school, an age when students begin to plan their careers. Stalwarts of the aviation industry meet and engage with the young students both from the privileged and underprivileged sections of society and share with them their experiences, challenges and victories, and talk to them about the various path breaking roles that women are playing in the aviation industry.
Wherever required, we extend free education to girl students who cannot afford a professional education. For the GIAD campaign, we collaborate with various organizations, airlines and other stakeholders of the industry such as Commerce & Transport Department & School and Mass Education Dept., Govt. of Odisha, NSTI, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, DGT, GoI, Blue Dart Aviation Services Ltd., Millennium Aero Dynamics Pvt. Ltd, Airports Authority of India, GMR and airports like Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL), GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL), Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), Chennai International Airport, Bagdogra International Airport, Chandigarh Airport with an objective to fulfil the mission of reaching out to as many girls students as possible.
Taking another step towards encouraging the young girls to explore the various avenues in Aviation, 35 selected school girls who had attended Girls in Aviation Day events held across the country in 2024 were also rewarded at the Giving Wings to Dreams Awards ceremony, as Young Aviation Ambassadors, wherein they received sponsorship for courses related to the travel & aviation industry.
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