In a momentous first, the first three women fighter pilots of the Indian Air force are set to be inducted at the combined graduation parade at Airforce Academy, Dundigal on Saturday.

Flying officer Avani Chaturvedi, Bhawana Kanth and Mohana Singh will graduate with the President’s Commission on Saturday.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar also attended the commissioning ceremony.

The three women fighter pilots have finished their basic training of six months at the Airforce Academy.

NDTV reported:

Each has cleared the first stage of training and has about 150 hours of flying. After getting their wings today as flying officers, they will train for six months on the Advanced Jet Fighter - the British-built Hawk - they will be assigned fighters and their squadrons.

For the next one year, the women fighter pilots will undergo advance training in Karnataka. They will go to Bidar for their stage-III training on Hawk advanced jet trainers for a year, before they get to fly supersonic warplanes.

A total of 130 flight cadets including 22 women trainees will be commissioned as Flying officers at the graduation ceremony.