This
is the courageous story of Captain Anny Divya, who overcame obstacles
in her life and fulfilled her dream of becoming a pilot as well as the
youngest female to ever fly the Boeing 777.
Anny Divya became the youngest ever woman commander of Boeing 777 at the age of 30.
There are stories that remind us that we should never give up on
our dreams. There are stories that prove that if our willpower is
strong, then no matter how bumpy the road is, the heart can always
achieve what it desires. One such encouraging story is of Anny Divya,
world’s youngest woman commander to fly Boeing 777. Born in Pathankot,
Anny wanted to become a pilot ever since she was a child. However, her
journey towards attaining that goal wasn’t easy. In a conversation with
HT, Captain Anny Divya, who is currently based in Mumbai, reveals how
she battled her way to achieve success.
The beginning
I was born in Pathankot. My father, who was in the army, was posted
there. Later, he took voluntary retirement and settled in Vijaywada.
I
did my schooling in Vijaywada. Since my childhood, I wanted to be a
pilot. Other children used to make fun of me for this. Kids, at that
time, were pushed to pursue engineering or become a doctor but not a
pilot. But luckily, my parents never forced their choice on me. They
were supportive and progressive in their thinking. My mother always used
to encourage me . However, my relatives and my family friends were
against my decision to become a pilot. Also, at that time, being a pilot
was not considered as a profession for woman.
The initial struggle
I come from a modest background. My family faced financial issues.
Since I grew up in Vijaywada, I could write and read English but
speaking English was a major challenge that I had to overcome. Right
after 12th, when I was 17 years old, I got through Indira Gandhi
Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA), the flying school in Uttar Pradesh. We
took a loan for my education. The cultural change from a small town to a
big city was overwhelming for me. I had difficulty adjusting and
speaking English. People used to mock me for my poor English and that
hurt me a lot. At times, I thought of going back. However, I didn’t.
With my parents’ support, I worked hard enought to win a scholarship.
Anny started flying the Boeing 737 at the age of 19.
The flight to victory
I had completed my training when I was 19 years old. As soon as I
finished my training, I got a job with Air India. During that period,
for the first time, I went abroad. I was sent to Spain for training.
When I came back, I got the opportunity to fly Boeing 737. Ever since
then, there has been no looking back. When I turned 21, I was sent to
London for further training. It was then when I started to fly Boeing
777. Since then, my life has changed. It’s been a great experience so
far. I’ve got the opportunity to travel to various countries. My journey
so far has taught me a lot.
An agent of change
Although this profession is still male dominated, the perception
that this profession is not for women has already changed to a large
extent. I am proud to say that India has taken lead over rest of the
world including developed countries, when it comes to number of female
pilots. In India, 15% woman fly as airline pilots, while globally, it is
an average of approximately 5%.
Advice for upcoming woman pilots
Your parents are your biggest support , so trust them to keep you
grounded. And last but not the least –there’s no substitute for hard
work.
Source: Hindu Times
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