19-year-old Maitri Patel from Surat, Gujarat has created history by becoming the youngest commercial pilot in India. She had a dream of pursuing a career in flying, since the age of 8 years. Her father encouraged her to make her dream come true.
Maitri successfully completed a pilot training program of 18 months in the United States. However, she completed it in 11 months only. During an interview with India Today she said, I was 8 years old when I saw a pilot and a plane for the first time. Since then she has dreamt to be a pilot.
Maitri pursued her education from Metas Adventist School, Surat, Gujarat. Soon after, she went to the United States to complete her pilot training program.
Kantilal Patel, Maitri’s father works in the Olpad area as a driver. Maitri’s mother works as an ayah at Surat Municipal Corporation’s health department. Speaking to ‘Ahmedabad Mirror’, Mairtri’s father said, that he used to take passengers from Surat to Mumbai airport to earn money. And used to see planes take-off and land.
Consequently, he wanted his daughter to become a pilot and travel the world. He got her enrolled in an English medium school. Later, he even sold off a piece of his ancestral land to arrange fees for the flight training course.
Maitri received a grand welcome at the airport from her father Kantilal Patel and mother when she returned to India, after completing her training in the US. Maitri now wishes to fly the Boeing aircraft and will begin training for the same soon.
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