New Delhi: In a landmark moment for the Border Security Force (BSF), Inspector Bhawna Chaudhary has become the first woman flight engineer in the history of the force’s air wing, which has been operational for over five decades.
Inspector Chaudhary, along with four male officers, was recently awarded her flying badge by BSF Director General Daljit Singh Chawdhary after successfully completing an in-house training capsule conducted by the BSF. This is the first time such a training programme was held internally by the force.
The BSF air wing, established in 1969, serves as the aviation arm of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and supports operational requirements of all paramilitary forces, including elite units like the National Security Guard (NSG) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).
According to officials, the five officers underwent 130 hours of intensive training over two months starting in August. The training included real-time operational exposure during sorties flown amid recent flood relief operations in Punjab and other states.
Due to a critical shortage of flight engineers for its Mi-17 helicopter fleet, the BSF had initially relied on the Indian Air Force (IAF) to train personnel. While the first batch of three officers was trained by the IAF, limited availability of training slots prevented the second batch from following suit.
In response, the BSF sought and received approval from the MHA to conduct its own in-house training programme, resulting in the successful qualification of the five officers including Inspector Chaudhary, who now becomes the first woman to hold this role in the BSF’s air wing.
The BSF’s aviation unit currently operates a variety of aircraft, including the Embraer jet for VIP transport, and helicopters such as the Mi-17 1V, Mi-17 V5, Cheetah, and ALH Dhruv.
The BSF, which was raised in December 1965 and now has a strength of nearly 3 lakh personnel, is responsible for guarding India’s borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, while also playing a key role in internal security operations across the country.
