IAF's first woman 'Top Gun': Who Is Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth and why is her achievement such a big deal?

Indian Air Force (IAF) Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth has added another first to her credit by becoming the first woman pilot to successfully complete the prestigious Fighter Combat Leader (FCL) course at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) in Gwalior.

The 20-week FCL course is regarded as one of the most demanding programmes undertaken by IAF fighter pilots. Only a select few are chosen for the advanced training. Completing the course places Squadron Leader Kanth among the IAF’s elite combat tacticians.

What makes her achievement significant is the fact that TACDE, often referred to as the IAF's "Top Gun" school, is the premier institution responsible for sharpening the force's operational edge. It trains frontline personnel across fighter, transport, helicopter, fighter controller and guided weapons streams, making it the IAF's most advanced centre for operational air combat training.

The institution's instructors are handpicked from among the Air Force's finest. These pilots are chosen for their exceptional operational expertise and ability to impart advanced combat training both in the air and on the ground. They are drawn from fighter and helicopter fleets as well as the best radar controllers.

During the programme, pilots undergo intensive training in advanced combat tactics, high-readiness mission planning, air-to-air and air-to-ground operations, and leadership in complex combat scenarios, preparing them to lead future air operations.

Hailing from Darbhanga in Bihar and trained as an engineer before joining the IAF, she was commissioned in June 2016 alongside Avani Chaturvedi and Mohana Singh as the IAF's first women fighter pilots.

She made history again in May 2019 by becoming the first Indian woman to be cleared for daytime fighter combat missions, initially flying the MiG-21 Bison before later transitioning to the Su-30 MKI.

Squadron Leader Kanth also became the first woman fighter pilot to participate in the Republic Day Parade in 2021. She later took part in the Republic Day Flypast in 2024.