| IWPA President |
|
| Chanda Sawant Budhabhatti |
Somewhere in the late 1960s, a fully qualified, lady pilot in her twenties approached the airlines in India,
in an attempt to secure an interview for the post of Co-pilot. She was refused on many an occasion. The only shortcoming:
her feminine gender.
If what the airlines had wanted was a female-free cockpit environment, they should
have hired her... because this rejection only led to the organisation and propagation of the country's decidely female
pilot association, led by none other than this dynamic lady, Chanda Sawant-Budhabhatti and several female pilot recruitments
followed thus.
Our current President, Chanda now flies her Super Cub - whom she likes to call her Pride. One of
the most encouraging, caring and enterprising ladies on the scene today, she may be reached, graciously at chandab99@hotmail.com
|
| Secretary |
|
| Rabia Futehally |
Behind every successful President, there is a Secretary!
In this case, two. The ladies who have brainstormed and toiled and channeled their passion to give
this organisation it's current shape - our current Secretary: Rabia Futehally and Joint
Secretary cum Treasurer: Mohini Shroff, are not only Charter members, but are the ones that keep the flame
of IWPA burning effectively even today.
Rabia started flying in 1965, an activity that seemed to be a family thing at her time, what with her father,
brother and husband having taken a fancy to the sky. She got her Private Pilot license in 1960 and not only that, she took
it right through to the next generation, with her daughter, Sumaira also following in her footsteps.
| Joint Secretary & Treasurer |
|
| Mohini Shroff |
Mohini, on the other hand, would have never heard of flying had she not earned a flight scholarship from
the Government of India in 1963. Having secured that privilige however, she honed her skills and cultivated the art of flying,
while pursuing her Masters in Public Relations at the same time. She acquired her Private Pilot license in 1965 and has been
greatly instrumental in the creation and continuation of IWPA - Chanda's right-hand human,
if you may...
Mohini currently serves with Arya Offshore Services, but her preoccupation has been and I suspect, will
be the blue yonder and allied pursuits.
Without a doubt, she is the engine IWPA draws it's horsepower from - quarts and quarts of Vinod
Villa midnight oil have been burned in the pursuit of IWPA upkeep.
Dr Sunila Bhajekar
Capt. Saudamini Deshmukh
Capt. Nivedita Bhasin
Capt. Neetu Gupta
Capt Sangita Kabra-Bangar
Capt. Aruna Dukhande
|
