Meet Ayesha Aziz, India's youngest pilot who secured license at 16

News Network
May 10, 2016

May 10: Ayesha Aziz was all of 16 when she got licensed as a pilot. The girl, who dreamt of flying planes when she grew up, got her wish fulfilled and how! At 20, the young achiever feels proud to have become the country's youngest pilot!

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Ayesha always wanted to do something challenging and unconventional. "More than being India's youngest pilot, I am happy for having accomplished my childhood goal," said Ayesha, as reported by The New Indian Express.

A resident of Mumbai, Ayesha's love for flying took root whenever she visited her native place, Kashmir. The twice-a-year trips to the valley made Ayesha more determined to become a pilot when she grew up.

"While I would enjoy take-off and landing of the plane, my brother would be scared and always sleep during the flight," chimed Ayesha.

The lucky girl also got the chance to visit NASA and meet John McBride. But her favourite moment was when she met her "second greatest inspiration" - astronaut Sunita Williams.

"I met her when she came to Worli in 2013 or 2014. I shared my experiences with her. I told her about the activities I participated in NASA like scuba diving, moon walk and bunny walk which an astronaut should know," she said.

Ayesha joined a flying school after she passed high school. She took ground lessons and passed five viva sessions. And as soon as she turned 16, she was awarded her student pilot license in November 2013. However, due to financial constraints, her training in commercial flying got delayed.

She currently pilots single engine Cessna 152 and Cessna172.

At the Bombay Flying Club, Ayesha is one of the only 4 girls studying B.Sc. third year in Aviation. But this doesn't pull her down and once she completes 80 hours of the total 200 hours of flying, Ayesha will finally gain her commercial pilot licence.

Apart from flying, Ayesha has done several photo shoots for a magazine and even done an ad commercial for Whisper.

Women like Ayesha Aziz and Saara Hameed Ahmed (India's first Muslim woman pilot) are showing what it is to chase their dreams with ardent fervour and not bow down to the pressures that usually force women to abandon theirs.

Ayesha, you are an inspiration to girls everywhere. May you soar to new heights in life!

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Comments

Manju Kumari
 - 
Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021

Which flying school gives permission to join school after 10th standard for student pilot license

Nasir KK
 - 
Tuesday, 10 May 2016

Ayesha., you are the inspiration to girls everywhere. may you soar to new heights in life...all the best.

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News Network
December 1,2025

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Udupi, Dec 1: A horrific case of alleged rape has unfolded in Udupi, where a worker from a Hindutva organisation, previously arrested and released on bail for harassing a young woman, is now accused of waylaying and sexually assaulting her.

The arrested individual has been identified as Pradeep Poojary (26), a member of the Hindu Jagarana Vedike's Nairkode unit in Perdur.

Poojary had allegedly been relentlessly harassing the young woman, pressuring her to marry him. When she bravely stood up to him and refused his demands, she filed a formal complaint at the Hiriyadka police station. He was subsequently arrested in that initial harassment case but was later granted bail.

According to police reports, driven by the same malicious grudge, Poojary allegedly intercepted the woman again on November 29. While she was walking through a deserted area, the accused is claimed to have threatened her by grabbing her neck. When she again refused to marry him, he allegedly proceeded to rape her.

The survivor immediately informed her family about the traumatic assault. Following this, her parents lodged a complaint at the Udupi women’s police station.

Police arrested Poojary again and produced him before the court. He has since been remanded to judicial custody.

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News Network
December 4,2025

Udupi: A 40-year-old NRI from Udupi has reportedly lost more than Rs 12.25 lakh in an online investment scam operated through Telegram.

According to a complaint filed at the CEN police station, Leo Jerome Mendonsa, who has been working in Dubai for the past 15 years in computer accessories sales, maintains NRI accounts in Karkala and Nitte.

On November 12, 2025, Mendonsa was added to a Telegram group called Instaflow Earnings by unknown individuals. Users identified as Priya and Dipannita persuaded him to invest in “Revenue Tasks.” Initially, Mendonsa transferred Rs 1,100 multiple times and received the promised returns, encouraging him to continue.

On November 14, another user, Nishmitha Shetty, directed him to register on a website, digitvisionuoce.cc, and invest Rs 4 lakh in various shares. Over the next few days, he made multiple transfers totaling Rs 12,25,000, including Rs 50,000 via Google Pay, believing the scheme was legitimate.

After receiving the money, the alleged handlers stopped responding, and neither the invested amount nor the promised profits were returned.

The CEN police have registered a case under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act and Section 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and investigations are ongoing.

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News Network
December 3,2025

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Mangaluru, Dec 3: A group of Congress workers gathered at the Mangaluru International Airport on Wednesday to welcome AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, but the reception quickly turned into a display of support for Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar.

Venugopal arrived in the city to participate in the centenary commemoration of the historic dialogue between Mahatma Gandhi and Narayana Guru. The event, organised by the Sivagiri Mutt, Varkala, in association with the Mangalore University Sri Narayana Guru Study Chair, is being held on the university’s Konaje campus.

KPCC general secretary Mithun Rai and several party workers had assembled at the airport to receive Venugopal. However, the moment he stepped out, workers began raising slogans backing Shivakumar.

The university programme will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

This show of support comes just a day after Siddaramaiah remarked that Shivakumar would lead the government “when the high command decides.” The chief minister made the comment after a breakfast meeting at Shivakumar’s residence—another public display of camaraderie between the two leaders amid ongoing attempts by the party high command to downplay their leadership rivalry.

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