Due to World War II, she later made a successful career in jewelry and clothing design. She became a successful woman entrepreneur, painter, and designer of clothes and jewelry.
In 1936, a woman and mother of a 4-year-old daughter arrived at the airstrip wearing a cotton saree, wearing a helmet on her head, sat in the cockpit of an aircraft, put on her spectacles, and in a matter of moments, took the plane into the air. When this ship landed back on the ground, the name of that woman had been written in the pages of history.
This is the historical name of Sarla Thakral who flew a two-seater aircraft named Gypsy Moth. It is said that she took off in a small two-winged aircraft for her first solo flight wearing a saree, respecting the Indian culture.
She was also the first woman in India to do so.
Our society has always treated women as inferior, so they have to go through a complex struggle for their identity and economic independence. It is not that only men have chained their feet, but men like Jyotirao Phule and Raja Ram Mohan Roy have also worked for the upliftment of women.
Those who gave wings to Sarla Thukral were also her husband and father-in-law. Her father-in-law got her enrolled in pilot training at the Jodhpur Flying Club. No girl had ever come before her in this flying club.
Let's know about the country's first woman pilot
Birth and Marriage
Sarla Thukral was born on 8 August 1914 in a prosperous family in Delhi.
In 1929, when the dominance of men was established in the field of flying, at that time she took training in flying at the flying club that opened in Delhi in the year 1929.
Sarla Thukral met P.D. Sharma during training. P.D. Sharma was a commercial pilot.
She was married at the age of 16 to pilot PD Sharma. Everyone in the family lovingly called her Mati.
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After marriage, her husband P.D. Sharma encouraged Sarla Thukral to become a commercial pilot.
9 members of the family were pilots in her in-laws' house. After marriage, P. D. Sharma recognized her curiosity about flying and planes. Respecting her curiosity, she advised her to become a pilot.
Her husband P. D. Sharma was the first pilot to receive the Indian Air Mail Pilot's Licence. She used to fly between Karachi and Lahore.
Sarla Thukral's father-in-law got her admitted to the Jodhpur Flying Club for pilot training. Before her, this flying club had never seen any girl. But what is this, a woman came there wearing a saree to learn to fly the plane.
Due to intense interest in her aim, the answers to every question would have been on her face.
She completed her training at Jodhpur Flying Club. When her required flight hours were completed, her instructor wanted her to fly solo. During training, for the first time, she flew a two-seater aircraft named Gypsy Moth in the year 1936 at Lahore. None of the members accompanying her objected to this, except a clerk of the flying club.
During that time, she flew on her first solo flight wearing a saree, respecting Indian culture. And passed my flying test.
When she took her first flight, she was not only married but also the mother of a 4-year-old daughter.
According to a report, after that flight, she said, “When I flew the plane for the first time, not only my husband but also my father-in-law was happy and excited. They enrolled me in the flying club. I knew that I was stuck in this men's work, despite being a woman. But I appreciate the men who supported and encouraged me."
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When 1000 hours of flying
Sarla Thukral was now ready to become a pilot after passing the flying test. She had to fly a plane for about 1000 hours to get her first 'A License'. Sarla Thukral, who did this feat, was only 21 years old at that time.
She was also the first Indian woman to get 'A License' after completing 1000 hours of flying.
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Why the purpose of life changed
After getting the first license in 1939, Sarla Thukral decided to get a commercial pilot's license. But who knew that she would not be able to do this. A new phase of his life was about to begin.
She had to face a double whammy during this time. Firstly, when she had to give a test in Jodhpur to get a commercial pilot's license, before that she got the news that her husband had died in a plane crash.
This loss was very big for her but she did not want to give up her dream of becoming a pilot, respecting her husband's wish. That's why the mother of two daughters gathered courage and returned to Jodhpur and started her training.
But at the same time, all the flights were getting suspended due to the start of World War. And at that time it was also not known how long this phase would last.
Similarly, in 1939, when Sarla Thukral was working hard for a commercial pilot license, she left the training midway due to the Second World War.
Now what would she do in the meantime because making a career as an aviator was just impossible? She returned to Lahore from Jodhpur.
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How to Become a Self-reliant Entrepreneur
Sarla Thukral did not lose courage even in difficult circumstances. She studied fine arts and painting at the Mayo School of Arts (now the National College of Arts) in Lahore.
After studying fine arts and painting, she started her new career with painting and designing.
Strange is the play of circumstances that created a bridge that was completely different between the past and the present.
Sarla Thukral was not limited to painting only, she continued to do handicrafts, calligraphy, and costume and jewelry design.
Her designs became very famous among women. The Second World War was over and her business was also doing well.
But when India-Pakistan was partitioned in 1947, Sarla Thukral started living in Delhi with her two daughters.
Sarla was associated with Arya Samaj, so widow marriage was also not a problem. After coming to Delhi from Lahore after the partition of India, she met R.P. Thukral.
After a year in 1948, she married R.P. Thukral. Making a fresh start in her life, she ventured into designing clothes and jewelry and was associated with cottage industries for almost 20 years.
Women like Vijay Lakshmi Pandit liked her designs very much.
The promising woman pilot of the country played the role of an entrepreneur very well.
She said in an interview that she has a habit of doing work on her own and believes in it.
She further says that when I was in school, my motto was to be happy always. As humans, unlike all animals, we have been blessed by nature in the form of laughter, so it is very important to be happy and keep laughing. Whatever crisis came in my life, this motto always encouraged me.
You have already seen the crisis of life, let's tell one more story. Sarla, who used to wear a saree during her flying days, used to take off the chunni used as a veil on her head and give it to her colleague when she used to sit in the cockpit. On this, Rai Bahadur Roopchand, who became the Indian Ambassador to America, once threatened her husband and said that 'Sarla should be stopped from this shamelessness'.
Sarla Thukral, who laughed remembering this incident, had also told that she was given flying training for just Rs 30 per hour. The reason for the cheap price was that due to the risk to life at that time, not many people used to enter this profession.
On March 15, 2008, this self-sufficient woman took her last breath.
The story of achievement, courage, and struggle of Sarla Thukral is no less than an inspiration for every woman.
Defeated by circumstances, she never pushed her life toward the darkness of compulsion.
This is also the essence of life, now every human being, whether it is a woman or a man, should not let their courage and self-confidence weaken even in critical situations.
Millions of salutes to the struggling woman of Jagdisha.
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