Bathinda girl becomes flying officer (pilot), tops flying branch in Hyderabad Air Force academy

Bathinda girl becomes flying officer (pilot), tops flying branch in Hyderabad Air Force academy

Harshabab Sidhu
Nabaz-e-Punjab, Mohali, December 20:
A 21-year-old girl from Punjab became a flying officer yesterday from Indian Air Force Academy in Hyderabad. Tabassum Khan, a resident of Bathinda, also topped in the Transport Flying branch (men and women) from the academy in order of merit.
Educated from the second batch of Mai Bhago Armed Forces Preparatory Institute in Sector 66, Mohali in July last year, Tabassum today visited her institute directly after arriving at the international airport here. Her parents, Abub Shah and Shamshad, reached the airport from Bathinda to receive their daughter. Major General IP Singh, the director of the Mai Bhago Armed Forces Preparatory Institute, along with other staff members welcomed Tabassum and her parents and celebrated the achievement by cutting a cake there. Tabassum later met the hostel students and shared her happiness with them.
Tabassum said after completing her three-year course from Mohali, she got selected in Air Force Academy, Hyderabad in 2019 as Lady Cadet, after qualifying the Services Selection Board (SSB) test. After completing her training of 18 months there, she finally became a Flying Officer on Saturday. Tabassum also bagged first position in OLQ (Officer Like Qualities) and GSK (General Service Knowledge) among short service commission. “I am feeling very good after passing out from the Air Force academy as a Transport Pilot. I am all set to serve the nation and looking forward to my upcoming training sessions and opportunities,” said Tabassum.
Tabassum’s father, Abub Shah, who also paid obeisance to the statue of Mai Bhago in the institute after entering, said, “This is a proud moment for our family. I want that all the girls of our country should come forward in studies as well as bigger professions. They should choose professions other than doctor and engineer and show their skills. No doubt, our girls are more hardworking than the boys” while adding that “Tabassum’s great efforts today paid off.”
Major General IP Singh said, “The entire Mai Bhago AFPI fraternity is proud of Lady Cadet (now Flying Officer) Tabassum’s achievements. We have started having regular successes in all the officer training academies but a lady cadet of this Institute topping her field is a rare honour. She is an inspiration for other lady cadets to follow her footsteps. I am sure we will have many more similar results. I wish Tabassum many more successes in her flying career as an officer of the Indian Air Force.”