Women in Aviation India, a dynamic movement for the women, driven by a shared passion to share their valuable insights & experiences and break gender barriers, continue their efforts to create a more inclusive aviation world by empowering the next generation.
Women in Aviation India (WAI) celebrated the 10th edition of its flagship initiative – Girls in Aviation Day (GIAD) with an inspiring event in Dehradun on the March 16, 2026, in collaboration with our valued partner National Skill Training Institute (NSTI), premier training centers under the Directorate General of Training (DGT), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Govt. of India who have been supporting our endeavours for the last 2 years. The landmark occasion marks a decade of empowering young girls to explore careers in aviation and aligns with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of a Viksit Bharat, and his powerful belief that “When women prosper, the world prospers.”
Since its inception in 2016, GIAD has grown into a transformative movement, reaching over 50,000 girls across 35 cities, from metros to remote towns, with the invaluable support of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The initiative continues to bridge the gender gap in a sector long dominated by men by fostering awareness, education, and mentorship.
Following the success of an exciting GIAD program in Dehradun in October 2025, Women in Aviation India collaborated with NSTI for another promising event in the ‘School Capital of India’, reaching out to the students at the NSTI centre. The program featured motivational sessions by our members who are accomplished women aviators including Neerja Sodhi, Manager-Commercial (Retd.), Air India, Pragati Kamboj, Assistant Professor, Uttaranchal University and Kirti Tiwari, Airport Service Manager, Oman Air-Delhi and Shreeya Arora, Head, Govt. Affairs & Policy, Bird Group who inspired young girls with enriching stories of determination and interesting insights about the wide array of opportunities in the industry.
The interactive program created awareness amongst the participants about aviation’s wide-ranging career opportunities, while underscoring the vital role of STEM education, skill-building, and mentorship. It was truly delightful to watch the young students display curiosity and excitement, as they captured their aspirations and ideas in heartfelt essays.
Similiar successful outreach programs were also held in Noida, Hyderabad, Gurugram, Chandigarh, Agra, Pali, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jewar and Aizawl wherein new stories of engaging, encouraging and empowering the young minds were created. The 10th anniversary celebrations of GIAD will culminate with the iconic ‘Giving Wings to Dreams Awards’, a national platform to recognize women who have made significant contributions in the field of aviation and have also helped empower other women.
Speaking on the milestone, Radha Bhatia, President, Women in Aviation India said, “In the last decade, we have moved ahead, one determined step at a time and have grown from strength to strength every year. Our work is a testimony of great teamwork by our invaluable members, their unwavering passion and commitment to see women flying high and achieving milestones that once seemed impossible! I am eternally grateful for the constant support of Shri Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu (Hon’ble Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Govt. of India), the Secretary, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, GoI and all its affiliated stakeholders. I am also grateful to the schools and colleges who welcomed us warmly to inspire and engage with their students. I am also very grateful to each and every member of Women in Aviation India, who stood by us and worked shoulder to shoulder. Today GIAD celebrations are not just events, they are a movement. We are proud that thousands of young girls across India have now met role models, flown drones, experienced an airport ecosystem and most importantly discovered that aviation is not a distant dream, it is a career within easy reach. Let’s together work towards breaking the barriers and advancing gender parity within the aviation industry. Tomorrow looks bright and promising for our young girls who will be a part of India’s epic growth story!”
With the invaluable support of likeminded partners like NSTI, Millenium Aero Dynamics, Make My Trip, Bangalore International Airport, GMR Hyderabad International Airport, Blue Dart Aviation, Top Crew Aviation and TravTalk and the constant support of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, the banner of Girls in Aviation Day continues to fly across the length and breadth of the country! We wholeheartedly invite aviation experts, institutions, corporate entities, students, teachers and academic institutions to come together to be a part of this mission.
