BSF air wing welcomes its first woman flight engineer

The Border Security Force (BSF) air wing has marked a historic milestone by inducting its first woman flight engineer in over five decades of its operations. Inspector Bhawna Chaudhary, along with four male officers, was recently awarded flying badges by BSF Director General Daljit Singh Chawdhary, following the completion of the force’s first in-house flight engineer training program.

Since 1969, the BSF has been responsible for operating the aviation unit under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), supporting operational needs across paramilitary forces and specialized units, including the National Security Guard (NSG) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

According to officials, the five officers underwent “ab-initio” training conducted entirely by BSF air wing instructors. The intensive two-month program, which began in August, included 130 hours of classroom instruction and hands-on operational exposure. Trainees participated in active missions, including flood relief operations in Punjab and other states, giving them practical experience in real-world scenarios.

The BSF air wing has faced a persistent shortage of flight engineers for its Mi-17 helicopter fleet. While the Indian Air Force (IAF) trained the first batch of three subordinate officers, the second batch could not secure slots due to various constraints. In response, the BSF sought permission from the MHA to conduct its own training, resulting in the successful certification of Inspector Chaudhary and her colleagues.

Inspector Chaudhary now becomes the first woman flight engineer in the BSF air wing. The unit operates a range of aircraft, including a fixed-wing Embraer jet for VIP duties and helicopters such as the Mi-17 1V, Mi-17 V5, Cheetah, and ALH Dhruv.

Raised in December 1965, the BSF, with nearly three lakh personnel, primarily guards India’s borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh while also supporting internal security operations across the country.