What is Harita Kaur Deol?
Flt. Lt. '''Harita Kaur Deol''' (1972 – 25 December 1996) is a [[pilot]] with the [[Indian Air Force]] (IAF). She was the first woman pilot to fly solo in the IAF. The flight was on 2 September 1994. She was 22 years old at the time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/all-time-inspirational-women-personalities-of-india-20609.html?page=7|title=All time inspirational women personalities of India: Harita Kaur Deol- First Indian woman airforce pilot|work=IndiaTV|page=7|date=8 March 2013|location=New Delhi|publisher=Independent News Service}}</ref> Harita is originally from [[Chandigarh]]. She joined the Air Force in 1992, when it advertised for the first time 8 jobs for women pilots. She flew an [[Avro]] aircraft. She landed at the Yelahanka Air Force Station, near [[Bangalore]]. Two more women, Flight Cadets Archana Kapoor and Bindu Sebastian, did their solo flights on the Avro after Harita.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sikhwomen.com/equality/social/military/deol.htm|title=IAF flies into a new era|date=4 September 1994|author=Soma Basu|work=SikhWomen.com}}</ref> There had been other female pilots in India before, but Harita was the first time a woman was flying for the Air Force. She died in a air crash in 1996.<ref>{{cite book|title=India: A Reference Annual|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RHhDAAAAYAAJ|year=1998|page=686|publisher=Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Woman IAF flying cadet killed in trainer crash - Indian Express | url = http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/woman-iaf-flying-cadet-killed-in-trainer-crash/308622/ |date=May 13, 2008| accessdate = 2014-02-13 }}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Deol, Harita Kaur}} [[Category:1972 births]] [[Category:1996 deaths]] [[Category:Aviation deaths]] [[Category:Aviators]] [[Category:Indian military people]] {{bio-stub}}