New Delhi, Aug. 7 -- Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth achieved yet another historic milestone - she is the first woman to graduate from the Indian Air Force's (IAF) elite Fighter Combat Leader course.

Completing 20 weeks of gruelling advanced combat flying training, Bhawana is now one of the exceptionally rare breed of officers to qualify from India's equivalent of the prestigious "Top Gun" school, which prepares them for complex combat operations.

Born and raised in Darbhanga, Bihar, Bhawana Kanth harboured a lifelong ambition to fly. That childhood dream materialised into national history in 2016 when the Centre decided to open the fighter cockpit to women on an experimental basis.

Bhawana was among the first three women-alongside Avani...