Karkala: Udupi District Gets Its First Female Commercial Pilot
Karkala: Shiny Asma Saldanha from Koudur has brought pride to Udupi district by earning her Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) after completing professional flight training.
Shiny is reportedly the first woman from Udupi district to qualify as a commercial pilot, marking a significant achievement in aviation.
The daughter of Ashok Jacob Saldanha and Maria Gretta Saldanha, Shiny hails from Rangana Palke in Koudur. She completed her schooling and pre-university education at Christ King Educational Institution in Karkala.
Driven by her ambition to take to the skies, Shiny cleared the entrance examination for the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) and secured admission to its professional pilot training programme.
She began her training at the IGRUA academy in Fursatganj, Uttar Pradesh, in August 2023 and completed all the required stages of flight training.
With her CPL now in hand, Shiny is set to embark on the next phase of her aviation career.
Her achievement has been hailed as an inspiration for young women, particularly those from coastal Karnataka, who aspire to pursue careers in aviation.
Family members, friends and well-wishers in Karkala have congratulated Shiny on achieving this significant milestone.