San Francisco’s SFO’s Aviation Museum has decided to honour senior Air India pilot Zoya Argawal as she has become the first human being to earn a place there.
Who is Zoya Agarwal?
Captain Zoya Agarwal is a commercial pilot for Air India. She has been extremely successful within India’s aviation industry. In 2013, Agarwal became the youngest female pilot to fly a Boeing – 777. She is mostly known for extraordinarily leading an all-female pilot team to cover the world’s longest route, from San Francisco to Bengaluru in India in 2021. The route covered the North Pole. This is the first time that such a journey had been achieved and it was proven to be a huge deal within the aviation industry. The San Francisco SFO’S Aviation Museum was particularly impressed by the achievement, leading to them offering Zoya Agarwal a place in their program.
A big achievement
Agarwal shared her excitement regarding the news with ANI, stressing how honoured she feels to be both the first human being to be included as a pilot in the museum and the first Indian woman featured in a museum in the U.S.
“I can’t believe that I am the first Indian woman to be in a museum in the U.S, if you ask the eight-year-old that used to sit on her terrace, looking at the stars and dream about being a pilot. It’s an honour that the US recognised an Indian woman at their museum…it’s a great moment for me and my country.”
Zoya’s work as a pilot has been highly inspirational for women in India either already working or are hoping to pursue a career within the aviation industry.
We already know that India has more female pilots than anywhere else in the world. Are you a woman in aviation? Share your thoughts below.
