BY: Owais Gul
Srinagar: Kashmiri women have made their name in every field whether it is sports, education or anything else and a 25-year-old Ayesha Aziz, with a Kashmir lineage, has become India’s youngest pilot.
Ayesha said she has been aspiring to become a pilot since her childhood. “Becoming youngest pilot was not important for me, but what exactly is joyous is that I have achieved my dream and goal of my life”.
Ayesha’s father resides in Mumbai and her mother belongs to Kashmir.
“I did my studies and grew up in Mumbai. As my mother belongs to Kashmir, we were putting up in the Valley for a long time after my schooling. After completing Class 12th, we stayed in Kashmir for nearly four years. I have been flying in and out of Kashmir for my training and for other purposes after my High Schooling,” she said.
She said as a kid, she was often flying to Kashmir and that’s how she developed interest in flying. “I knew that I wanted to be a pilot when I was in my middle school as I love to travel; I love the entire concept of flying. It fascinated me. Traveling, learning different languages, tasting the world and all these things made me sure that this is what I wanted to become in my life”.
“What is more dynamic than being the one who is piloting an aircraft that’s weighing 70 ton machine and you have the power to pilot it and you are working against gravity. So these things really fascinated me and that’s why I wanted to become the one. I never thought about working from 09-05 jobs. I always wanted to do something adventurous, which is dynamic. There are changes in this field and that’s why I preferred this only,” she said.
Ayesha got her first license to fly an aircraft when she was 16-years-old. “Soon after getting my first license, I got a commercial license after that very shortly”.
On becoming the youngest Indian female pilot, Ayesha said, “I am glad that I have achieved my dream. What is more soothing to hear that I have achieved what I always dreamt of”.
She appealed Kashmiri children to focus on their target and don’t bother to think about the society. “There would be people who will speak against you. But, one must remain more focused towards his/her goal so that it is achieved.”
Talking about the love for Kashmir, Ayesha said she heaves a sigh of relief whenever she visits Valley. “I heave a sigh of relief in Kashmir. I hold a very strong identity of myself from the place where my mother belongs to. I always prefer Kashmiri food. Despite spending most of the time outside Kashmir, I know my language (Kashmiri) very well and often speak in this language”. (KNO)