In a country like India, where the words working and women are not considered to be used in a single sentence, where in many places, girls are not even allowed to step out of their houses, we also have seen examples of women who had the courage to speak for themselves, stand for themselves and work for themselves.
While women were supposed to be burdened with family responsibilities and not even allowed to breathe in the open air, Usha Sundaram became an inspiration for all by not just letting her dreams touch the sky but also becoming the first Indian pilot.
Who was Usha Sundaram?
Usha Sundaram was the first woman to fly across the skies of independent India. Beginning with co-piloting with her husband, the Bangalore pilot progressed to flying the Maharaja of Mysore's personal aircraft and transporting important leaders of the country such as Sardar Patel, Pandit Nehru, and Dr. Rajendra Prasad with amazing proficiency. She even flew the Government of Madras' Dove from England to India in 27 hours, breaking a record that has yet to be broken.
Even today, the general public and the aviation industry are reluctant to acknowledge women's aptitude as pilots. Usha Sundaram's narrative, the nation of India's first woman pilot, challenges the widely held belief that women are less qualified to fly commercial aircraft.
This amazing woman demonstrated her skill as a commercial pilot who flew India's first Prime Minister and President as well as a courageous pilot who overcame difficulties by flying over areas that were actively engaged in conflict to carry out rescue missions during the partition.
Married a Pilot But was Independent in Her Career
In 1946, Usha Sundaram married and moved to Bangalore with her husband. Usha's husband V Sundaram, a licenced pilot, may have introduced her to flying, but she was in no way dependent on him for her career. Usha became the first Indian woman to receive a pilot licence in independent India on May 1, 1949, after graduating from the Government Flying Training School (GFTS) at Jakkur.
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Sreemathy Usha Sundaram passed away on April 4th, leaving behind a daughter, Vijayalakshmi, and two boys, Suresh and Chinnikrishna.
Mrs Usha Sundaram, Founder of the Blue Cross of India, was India's first female pilot, a little-known fact. She was honoured as India's First Woman Aviator in January 2002 during the National Women in Aerospace Convention at Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. in Bangalore.
GFTS, one of India's oldest pilot training schools, was founded in 1948 by the then Maharaja of Mysore, Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar, who also donated his personal aircraft, a Dakota DC-3. In fact, the country's first woman pilot, Usha Sundaram, graduated from GFS. She had the distinction of flying the country's first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, to Mysore from Jakkur on the same Dakota.
Mrs Usha Sundaram, the co-founder of Blue Cross of India, died on Sunday, April 4, after a brief illness, surrounded by her family. Mrs Sundaram has dedicated her life to assisting animals. She founded Blue Cross of India in 1959 with her husband, Captain Sundaram, and their children, by rescuing and caring for animals in need. Soon, their home was overrun with creatures of all kinds: cats, dogs, goats, and even mongooses.
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They had both been pilots before launching Blue Cross (in the days when women did not become pilots, especially not in India). From 1945 to 1951, they piloted the Prime Minister's plane, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
The story of independent India's first female pilot Usha Sundaram's aviation career began in 1941 when she married V Sundaram, a licenced pilot who taught flying at the Madras Flying Club. Soon after, the couple relocated to a tiny cottage on Bangalore's St. Mark's Road, and Usha's dreams went off like a rocket.
Her husband went on to become the princely state of Mysore's Director of Civil Aviation and then the Principal of the Government Flying Training School (GFTS) in Jakkur. She began her career as a copilot, joining him in the cockpit, and went on to become the first female graduate of GFTS and the first woman to get her pilot's licence in 1949.
Written By: Greeshma Chowdary
Edited By: Nidhi Jha
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