In a first, Flying Officer Tanuska Singh has become the first woman pilot permanently assigned to IAF’s Jaguar fighter jet squadron. It marks a significant step in gender inclusion in combat roles. The officer will shortly report for duty.

While other women have flown the Jaguar during training, Tanushka’s permanent induction into the squadron is a first. The Jaguar is a key tactical strike aircraft for the IAF, known for its precision attack capabilities.

Hailing from a family having served in the armed forces, Tanushka initially considered a career in the Indian Army. However, she shifted her focus to the Air Force after learning about the opportunities available to women.

She underwent training at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, Telangana, followed by specialised training on the Hawk MK 132 aircraft.

Born in Uttar Pradesh, she has lived in Mangaluru since 2007. She completed her schooling in Suratkal and later studied in Mangaluru. She also earned a BTech in electrical and electronics engineering in 2022.

Incidentally, the first batch of three female pilots - Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh were inducted in Indian Air Force fighter squadron on 2016.

Squadron Leader Mohana Singh later made history as the first female fighter pilot in the country to be cleared to fly the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas fighter jet last year.

Mohana Singh, along with Avni Chaturvedi and Bhawana Kanth, was part of the trio of female pilots in the Air Force’s fighter streams. In the early days, the three pilots flew various aircraft from the Air Force’s fighter fleet. Currently, they are flying the regular fleets of Su-30MKi and LCA Tejas

Indian Air Force (IAF), the world’s fourth-largest air force, currently accounts for around 20 women fighter pilots.

The service opened its fighter stream to women, a watershed in India’s military history, in 2016. It has opened all frontiers for women and is giving them opportunities on a par with their male counterparts.