Breaking Barriers: Squadron Leader Mohana Singh Joins the Prestigious 18 ‘Flying Bullets’ Squadron

Mohana Singh has a proud heritage in military service; her grandfather was a flight gunner at the Aviation Research Center (ARC), a specialized unit of the Indian Air Force (IAF) dedicated to reconnaissance and surveillance. Following this legacy, her father serves as a warrant officer in the IAF.

In 2016, Mohana Singh, along with Bhawna Kanth and Avni Chaturvedi, made history by becoming the first women fighter pilots to be inducted into the Indian Air Force, marking a transformative moment in Indian aviation by officially integrating women into the fighter pilot ranks.

In 2019, Mohana Singh reached another significant milestone by becoming the first female pilot in the Indian Air Force to fly a “Hawk” aircraft during daylight hours.

Mohana Singh stands out as one of India’s pioneering female fighter pilots and is part of the groundbreaking women’s fighter stream within the Indian Air Force. She initially piloted the MiG-21 before becoming a member of the esteemed “Flying Bullets” squadron stationed at Nalia Air Base in Gujarat.

Recently, Mohana took part in the ‘Tarang Shakti’ exercise in Jodhpur, where she played a key role in a notable flight with the three vice chiefs of the armed forces. This event was seen as a vital showcase of the defense forces’ united dedication to supporting the Make in India initiative.

Mohana completed her education at The Air Force School in New Delhi and later earned a B. Tech degree in Electronics and Communication from the Global Institute of Management and Emerging Technologies in Amritsar in 2016.

The Indian Air Force currently boasts approximately 20 women fighter pilots, following the government’s decision to allow women into the fighter stream in 2016.