TravTalk India Online Magazine
WAI, in partnership with the MoCA, felicitated 37 women achievers from across diverse aviation fields at its ‘Giving Wings to Dreams 2024’ programme in New Delhi recently. The event highlighted the contribution of the woman leaders.
Surbhi Sharma
Women in Aviation India (WAI), a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing women in aviation and aerospace, in collaboration with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, hosted the third edition of its iconic awards, Giving Wings to Dreams 2024, at Roseate in New Delhi recently. The event honoured 37 women achievers whose contributions have significantly shaped India’s aviation sector. The awards celebrated excellence across diverse aviation fields, including airside operations, terminal management, engineering, security, and flight operations. Women from key aviation organisations, such as BCAS, DGCA, CISF, and Pawan Hans, were also recognised for their service excellence.
Empowering women
The ceremony, attended by Vumlunmang Vualnam, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, and IAS officials Usha Padhee and Vipin Kumar, highlighted India’s burgeoning aviation infrastructure. Vualnam noted the exponential growth of the sector, with airports doubling from 74 to 157 in a decade, passenger numbers soaring to 22 crore annually, and aircraft fleets expected to grow to 1,400 within five years. “There is immense opportunity for women in the aviation sector to become a vital part of this growth story,” said Vualnam. He emphasised the government’s commitment to integrating women into the drone industry and other emerging aviation fields, stressing that their participation is crucial for sustained industry momentum.
Inspiring future generations
Radha Bhatia, President, WAI and Chairperson, Bird Group, underlined the significance of equanimous growth across all aviation verticals. “India has the largest number of women pilots globally, but we aim for balanced representation across the industry,” she said.
Through initiatives like the Girls in Aviation Day programmes, WAI is reaching out to young girls in remote regions, introducing them to the world of aviation.
Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Minister of Civil Aviation, praised the WAI’s efforts and encouraged young girls to explore the vast opportunities in aviation.
Next gen of aviation leaders
In addition to honouring industry stalwarts, Giving Wings to Dreams 2024 recognised 35 schoolgirls as ‘Young Aviation Ambassadors’. These students received sponsorships for aviation and travel industry courses, further strengthening the pipeline of future leaders in the sector.
