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| Image : Indian Air Force |
Flying Officer Tejaswi Ranga Rao is the first woman weapons systems officer in the Sukhoi-30 fleet, frontline air-dominance fighter aircraft, which is considered as the backbone of the Indian Air Force’s frontline fighter jets. A weapon systems officer, also referred as ‘wizzo’ in the Air Force, is a flight officer responsible for all air operations and weapon systems of a military aircraft. A wizzo maintains the aircraft’s system riding behind the pilot. With the appointment of Rao, India joins the list of other countries like the UK and the US, to have women wizzos in the Air Force.
After finishing schooling in Chennai, Rao’s family moved to Bangalore, where she pursued BSc in Biotechnology, Chemistry and Genetics. During her BSc stint, Rao enrolled in the National Cadet Corps (NCC), which was the major reason for her to apply for the forces. Being a part of the NCC opened up the avenue of opportunities, and took Rao a step closer in achieving her goals.
Rao, the younger of the two daughters of R Ranga Rao and Radhika Ranga Rao, attributes her success to her parents, who willingly moved cities in order to enable her to fulfill her dreams. They have made sure she receives the right exposure, encouragement, motivation and support at all the crucial times. Rao also felt that nobody will point out her flaws as honestly as her family, and for that, she is grateful. “Her training as a navigator played a crucial role in her life,” says Rao’s mother, Radhika, who feels the training taught her to appreciate every failure just as much as she would rejoice in her successes. Rao graduated from the Navigation Training School with a President’s plaque, topping the course, being the first woman to do so.
The Indian Air Force consists of 13.9 per cent women officers – highest amongst all three forces; it is still a relatively low number. While there are only a handful of women in the flying branch as of now, tremendous opportunities exist for those who wish to grab them. “I hope to do well in the future, work hard and serve my nation in the best way I can,” Rao had mentioned in her personal blog.
“We allow our daughters to follow their dreams and make their own path. We did not think much when she discussed her ambition and career path with us. In fact, we were proud that she has chosen an altogether different profession and came out among the three girls selected by the Air Force in the entire country under the flying wing. Gender had never been a hindrance to my daughter’s dreams,” concludes the proud mother.
Source : Femina & Defence Aviation
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| Tejaswi Ranga Rao |
After finishing schooling in Chennai, Rao’s family moved to Bangalore, where she pursued BSc in Biotechnology, Chemistry and Genetics. During her BSc stint, Rao enrolled in the National Cadet Corps (NCC), which was the major reason for her to apply for the forces. Being a part of the NCC opened up the avenue of opportunities, and took Rao a step closer in achieving her goals.
Rao, the younger of the two daughters of R Ranga Rao and Radhika Ranga Rao, attributes her success to her parents, who willingly moved cities in order to enable her to fulfill her dreams. They have made sure she receives the right exposure, encouragement, motivation and support at all the crucial times. Rao also felt that nobody will point out her flaws as honestly as her family, and for that, she is grateful. “Her training as a navigator played a crucial role in her life,” says Rao’s mother, Radhika, who feels the training taught her to appreciate every failure just as much as she would rejoice in her successes. Rao graduated from the Navigation Training School with a President’s plaque, topping the course, being the first woman to do so.
The Indian Air Force consists of 13.9 per cent women officers – highest amongst all three forces; it is still a relatively low number. While there are only a handful of women in the flying branch as of now, tremendous opportunities exist for those who wish to grab them. “I hope to do well in the future, work hard and serve my nation in the best way I can,” Rao had mentioned in her personal blog.
Meet Tejaswi Ranga Rao, Indian Air Force’s First Woman ‘Wizzo’ #TejaswiRangaRao #IndianAirForce https://t.co/c88YqpgGJB— DefenceAviationPost (@DefencePost) August 4, 2020
“We allow our daughters to follow their dreams and make their own path. We did not think much when she discussed her ambition and career path with us. In fact, we were proud that she has chosen an altogether different profession and came out among the three girls selected by the Air Force in the entire country under the flying wing. Gender had never been a hindrance to my daughter’s dreams,” concludes the proud mother.
Source : Femina & Defence Aviation
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