An Interview with Zoya Agarwal

 

An Interview with Zoya Agarwal 

“In the 90s, growing up as a girl in a middle class family meant that you weren’t allowed to dream beyond your means. Still, I’d look at the planes in the sky & wonder, ‘Maybe if I was flying one of those planes, I could touch the stars.’ At 8, I knew I wanted to become a pilot.

I even saved any money my parents gave me in my piggy bank. But I got a reality check when I heard Maa saying, ‘Bade hoke achhe ghar mein shaadi karni hai iski…tab hi life achi hogi,’ so I never told my parents about my dream.

But after 10th, when I told them, Maa cried, ‘How can you even think like that?’ Still, I defied them & opted for Science. While pursuing my graduation, I also applied for an aviation course–I broke my piggy bank to pay for it.

After college, I’d travel across the city for my aviation course. It’d be 10PM by the time I got back home & did my assignments.

When I topped college, I asked Papa, ‘Now, will you allow me to pursue my dream?’ Hesitantly, he agreed to take a loan for my course; I put my heart into it & excelled.

After, I waited 2 years to get a job at Air India; I was competing against 3000 pilots. But before my interview, Papa had a stroke. But he said, ‘Zoya, I’ll be fine. Just go for it.’ I reluctantly agreed.

I cleared all rounds & joined Air India as a First Officer! In 2004, I flew my first flight–I’d finally touched the stars!

I paid off Papa’s loans & bought diamond earrings for Maa. And in 2013, I became the youngest woman in the world to fly the Boeing 777; my parents were on cloud nine!

During the pandemic, I volunteered to lead rescue operations. After my first flight, everyone applauded. And this year, I led an all-women cockpit to fly the world’s longest air route. But before my flight, Maa had a heart attack. Still, she persuaded me to fly & I became the first woman in the world to fly across opposite poles.

After, women from all over wrote to me, ‘I shouldn't have given up’, ‘I’m going to rebuild my life,’ & that meant the world to me.

In all these years, nothing has come easy to me. But whenever I felt stuck, 8-year-old Zoya’s dream flashed before my eyes–she had the courage to follow her heart & that’s how I want to be, all my life.”

Zoya Agarwal

Zoya Agarwal is an Indian commercial pilot who has flown for Air India. In 2021, Agarwal captained an all-woman crew making the inaugural flight from San Francisco to Bengaluru, one of the longest non-stop air routes in the world.

 

Born

Delhi, India

Occupation

Aircraft Pilot

Employer

Air India

Career

In 2006, The Times of India highlighted Agarwal as a rising female aviator of India. She became the youngest woman pilot in India to fly a Boeing-777 in 2013. Agarwal garnered attention for her role in saving a passenger's life on a flight bound to New York in 2015. After a passenger complained of breathlessness, she decided to turn back the flight and land at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, where the passenger was taken to a nearby hospital.


As a precautionary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of India initiated Vande Bharat Mission in May 2020 to evacuate around 14,800 Indians from twelve countries on sixty-four Air India flights. Agarwal was chosen to co-pilot the first repatriation flight by the airline.


In 2021, Agarwal captained an all-woman crew making the inaugural flight from San Francisco to Bengaluru, one of the longest non-stop air routes in the world. Later that month, the crew made an appearance on Indian Idol for its Republic Day special episode. Later that year, Agarwal was chosen by the United Nations as its spokesperson for Generation Equality.


With copilots R Someshwar, Sandeep Mukhedkar and Abhay Agarwal, Zoya Agarwal piloted Air India's first Boeing 777 aircraft over the Hindu Kush mountain range. The route cut flight time of one of Delhi's most popular non-stop routes to North America, compared to a route taken since Afghan airspace was closed to non-defence aircraft in August. The airline previously began flying its Boeing 787s over the Hindu Kush mountain range in October.

- She was born in Delhi India, She is Captain Zoya Agarwal pilot at Air India. She is well known for becoming world's youngest flying Boeing 777 (2013). Also known for commanding world's longest flight route over North Pole in year 2021. 

- Due to pandemic Corona Virus Situation Covid 19, The Government of India decided to bring 14,800 Indians from 12 Countries on 64 Air India Flights back to India, Zoya was appointed for this work. 

- In 2015, Zoya Agarwal had saved a passengers life, After a flight landed up for New York, A male passenger complained that he is facing breathing problems, In that flight there was 327 passengers and destination of plane was 150 minutes airborne, Zoya decided to land up back the plane to Indira Gandhi International Airport. 

- Zoya was interviewed and acknowledged by The Times of India For as a rising female aviator of India.

- She was invited on Indian Idol Season 14 on 24 January 2021 for the special episode of Republic Day of India.





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