New Delhi, January 19: Flight lieutenant Bhawana Kanth will become the first woman fighter pilot to take part in the Republic Day parade. Union Health Minister took to Twitter to congratulate her saying marking the dawn of empowered women-led New India.

She will be a part of the Indian Air Force's (IAF's) tableau that will showcase mock-ups of the light combat aircraft, light combat helicopter and the Sukhoi-30 fighter plane. She is currently posted at an airbase in Rajasthan where she flies the MiG-21 Bison fighter plane. Bhawana Kanth Becomes 1st Woman Pilot to Be Qualified to Undertake Missions by Day on Fighter Aircraft.

In 2018, Kanth became the first woman fighter pilot to be qualified to undertake missions by day on a fighter aircraft. Kanth had joined fighter squadron in '2017 and flew the first solo on MiG-21 Bison in Mar 2018.' In 2017, Kanth became the second female pilot to fly a fighter jet solo.

A total of 38 IAF aircraft and four planes of the Indian Army will participate in the flypast on January 26.

Kanth, who hails from Darbhanga in Bihar, had earlier said in an interview to ANI that "flying like a bird" had been her childhood dream. It had also inspired her to join the Air Force.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 19, 2021 10:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).