Tribal woman becomes first female pilot from Odisha's Malkangiri district
Her dream to touch the sky has catapulted a tribal woman from Odisha’s Malkangiri district to become the first female pilot from the region.
Twenty-three-year-old Anupriya Lakra’s dream of becoming a pilot has become a reality, seven years after she quit engineering studies midway and joined an aviation academy
here in 2012.
The woman from the tribal-dominated district is all set to join a private airline as a co-pilot.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has congratulated Lakra for the rare feat achieved through dedication and grit and said it will set an example for others to emulate.
“I am happy to learn about the success of Anupriya Lakra. The success achieved by her through dedicated efforts and perseverance is an example for many,” Patnaik tweeted, wishing Anupriya more achievements as an able pilot. Daughter of Mariniyas Lakra, a Havildar in Odisha Police and Jamaj Yashmin Lakra, a homemaker, Anupriya completed her matriculation from a convent in Malkangiri and higher secondary from a school in Semiliguda.
ମାଲକାନଗିରି ଜିଲ୍ଲାର ଝିଅ ଅନୁପ୍ରିୟା ଲାକ୍ରାଙ୍କ ସଫଳତା ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣି ମୁଁ ବହୁତ ଖୁସି। ନିଷ୍ଠାପର ଉଦ୍ୟମ ବଳରେ ସେ ହାସଲ କରିଥିବା ସଫଳତା ଅନେକଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଉଦାହରଣ। ଜଣେ ଦକ୍ଷ ପାଇଲଟ୍ ଭାବେ ଆଗାମୀ ଦିନରେ ସେ ଆହୁରି ସୁନାମ ଅର୍ଜନ କରନ୍ତୁ। ତାଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଓ ସାଧୁବାଦ।https://t.co/1IIbEwJxHf
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) September 8, 2019
With a passion of becoming a pilot, she quit her engineering studies in Bhubaneswar mid-way and prepared for pilot entrance test in Bhubaneswar, her father said. In 2012, Anupriya joined the Pilot Training Institute in Bhubaneswar, he said. “We are very happy that her dream of becoming a pilot has now become a reality. She will be working as a co-pilot in a private airline,” Mariniyas said.
She has been selected as a co-pilot in a private airline and is likely to fly abroad shortly. “It is a big achievement for somebody from a backward district like Malkangiri. Her success has come after seven years of hard work,” he said.
Jubilant over Anupriya’s success, her mother said “I am very happy. It is a matter of pride for the people of Malkangiri. Her success will inspire other girls.” Anupriya was always encouraged to make efforts to translate her dreams into reality, her mother said.
