Dear girls who dream beyond the horizon,
When I was in Class 6, I told my father that I wanted to be an Air Force pilot, just like him. He was a helicopter pilot in the Indian Air Force, and I admired everything about him, from the pride with which he wore his uniform to the sense of purpose he carried every day.
His answer wasn't quite what I expected.
He told me that pilots didn't wear glasses. I wore glasses.
A little later, he told me something else: there were no women pilots in the Air Force. If I wanted to wear the uniform, perhaps I should think about becoming a doctor.
Like many young girls, I redirected my ambitions. I dreamt of becoming an engineer, an astronaut, even joining the police service. I was inspired by women who had dared to do things differently. But somewhere in my heart, the dream of flying never truly left me.
In fact, some friends and I began writing letters. We wrote to ministers, army officials and leaders, asking a simple question:
Why can't women become Air Force pilots?
Then, in 1992, everything changed. The Indian Air Force announced that women would be inducted as pilots. In 1994, I was among the first fourteen women selected to join the Air Force Academy.
A senior navigator once admitted that he had been nervous about flying with me because I was a woman. One day, we were tasked with a difficult mission in poor weather conditions. Every bit of my training came into play. We completed the mission safely and returned home. After the flight, that same officer touched my feet and apologised. He told me he had a newborn daughter and asked me to bless her because he hoped she would grow up to be like me.
I have flown many aircraft and held many roles since then. Yet that moment remains one of the most meaningful of my life.
Not because someone praised me. But because I realised that sometimes, simply doing your job well can change the way people think about what women can achieve.
Over the years, I went on to earn distinctions that once felt impossible. I stood first in both flying and ground subjects during training. I qualified for roles that many believed women would not reach. I served for a decade in the Air Force before transitioning to commercial aviation.
That transition opened new doors and taught me new lessons. As an instructor on the Airbus A320 fleet, I discovered that aviation is about much more than flying an aircraft. It is also about sharing knowledge, building confidence and helping others find their wings. Later, as a Senior Flight Operations Inspector with the DGCA, I gained a deeper appreciation of the immense responsibility that comes with every flight and the importance of upholding the highest standards of safety.
Each stage of my journey taught me something different. Flying taught me precision. Training taught me patience. Regulatory oversight taught me accountability. Aviation also taught me discipline. Every flight operates within strict timelines, procedures and safety standards, and every decision carries responsibility. Those lessons have stayed with me throughout my career.
Today, at Air India, I find myself part of another remarkable chapter. Just as Indian aviation has evolved dramatically since I first stepped into a cockpit, Air India too is transforming, creating opportunities for a new generation of professionals to shape the future of aviation in our country.
What I value most is the culture of learning and mentorship at Air India. Throughout my career, I have believed that success is never truly individual. Every pilot benefits from those who guide, encourage and challenge them along the way. It is rewarding to see experienced professionals investing time in helping younger aviators build their confidence and capabilities.
When I transitioned to flying the Boeing 787, it was yet another reminder that growth never stops, no matter how much experience you have behind you. Every new aircraft, every new role and every new challenge offers an opportunity to learn.
At the heart of every flight, however, are the people who place their trust in us. Whether you are leading a cockpit crew or working with a larger team, the goal remains the same: ensuring the safety, comfort and wellbeing of every passenger on board.
Aviation has taught me that leadership is not about authority. It is about creating confidence, bringing people together and helping others perform at their best. That sense of responsibility continues to inspire me every day I fly.
I have the privilege of flying one of the world's most advanced aircraft at a time when Indian aviation is growing at an extraordinary pace. What inspires me most, however, is seeing talented young pilots, especially women, enter the profession with opportunities, role models and support systems that many of us had to work hard to create.
Every time I am in the cockpit with a young first officer, I am reminded of how far we have come. When I entered aviation, women in cockpits were still a rarity. Today, I see confident, capable young women stepping into the profession knowing that their aspirations belong there. Few things are more rewarding than witnessing that progress firsthand.
You will face challenges and setbacks. And you may even hear people tell you that something cannot be done. But sometimes, the things people call impossible are simply things that have not been done yet.
If I could speak to my younger self today, I would tell her two things:
Have more patience.
Have more faith.
Everything does not need to happen immediately. Every detour may be preparing you for a destination you cannot yet see.
After all, the girl who was once working in the cargo division in Air India while hoping for a chance to fly could never have imagined that one day she would be commanding a Boeing 787 across continents.
And perhaps that is my message to you on this International Day of the Girl Child.
Self-belief is often the only difference between a dream that stays a dream and one that takes flight.
Because impossible is only a word until someone proves otherwise. And more often than not, that someone is an ordinary girl who simply refused to stop believing.
With faith in your future,
Capt. Archana Kapoor
Senior Commander, Boeing 787, Air India
