“Since the time I was in my ninth standard, I would collect newspaper articles about aviation and pour over the pictures of different aircrafts for hours,” says Fatima, a 26-year-old from Hyderabad.

But the dream didn’t end there. Today, Fatima is no ordinary 26-year-old. She is Captain Syeda Salva Fatima, one of the few Muslim women in India to hold the commercial pilot’s license.

Despite being in a profession predominantly male, Fatima is quite an achiever as she also has a Private Pilot’s License and Flight Radio Telephone Operator License which are prerequisites for a commercial license.

It was a different stream and it caught my attention. It wasn’t about being a doctor or an engineer like everyone else. I wanted to do something different.

-Capt Syeda Salva Fatima

Fatima comes from the old city area of Hyderabad. She tells me that she never imagined that she would get this far, displaying a pleasant side of humility.

Her father, Syed Ashfaq Ahmed, a bakery worker, who struggled to make ends meet was also proud of his daughter’s ambition and has backed her at every step.

“Zahid Ali Khan sir, the Editor of Siasat daily, really helped me out,” says Fatima. “I met him at a ceremony where I welcomed him and he heard my story. He then offered to support me financially to undertake pilot training which is why I’m grateful to him.” she adds.

This meet was followed by five years of rigorous training at the Andhra Pradesh Aviation Academy where Fatima obtained her three licenses. She then logged-in a total of 200 flying hours on Cessna 152 and 172 (used primarily for flight training and personal use) including 123 hours of solo flight.

She now needs to undergo an additional training over the initial licenses and aircraft class training. This will qualify her to fly every plane including commercial aircraft giants like Air Bus and Boeing models.

However, there is a downside. The training costs about Rs. 30 to 32 lakh which is quite a lot. But the determined Captain doesn’t want to give up and so she recently sent a letter to the Civil Aviation Minister, Ashok Gajapathi Raju.

“I’m looking forward to a response and let’s hope for the best,” adds a positive-spirited Fatima.