MiG-21 Farewell: Who Is Squadron Leader Priya Sharma, IAF Woman Pilot Leading Send-Off Flypast?

Adding to the historic occasion as 6 MiG-21 Bisons take to the skies one last time, Squadron Leader Priya Sharma will etch her name in history as the last woman fighter pilot to fly the MiG-21.

A native of Rajasthan and an engineering graduate, Priya comes from a family with strong ties to the Air Force — her father also served in the IAF.

Source : PTI

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to mark a historic milestone as six MiG-21 Bisons take to the skies one last time from Air Force Station Chandigarh, bidding farewell to the legendary aircraft that has dominated Indian skies for more than six decades. Chandigarh was chosen for the grand farewell ceremony, as it was the base from which the MiG-21 first began its journey with the IAF.

Adding to the historic occasion, Squadron Leader Priya Sharma will etch her name in history as the last woman fighter pilot to fly the MiG-21.

Who Is Squadron Leader Priya Sharma?

Priya Sharma, a 2018 graduate of the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the same year. She holds the distinction of being the first woman fighter pilot commissioned into the IAF in 2016 and was the only woman fighter pilot in her batch.

Her career began at Hakimpet Air Force Station in Hyderabad, after which she moved to Bidar Air Force Station in Karnataka for advanced training. A native of Rajasthan and an engineering graduate, Priya comes from a family with strong ties to the Air Force — her father also served in the IAF.

The MiG-21 Farewell Ceremony

The farewell event will take place on Friday, beginning with the arrival of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other dignitaries. The ceremony will feature a display by the IAF’s elite skydiving team, Akash Ganga, followed by a flypast of MiG-21 aircraft.

The final salute will be given to the MiG-21 jets of No 23 Squadron, famously nicknamed the Panthers.

In a recent post on X about the retiring MiG-21s, the IAF said, "Six decades of service, countless tales of courage, a warhorse that carried pride of a nation into the skies".