Meet Captain Hansja Sharma, India's 1st woman Rudra pilot
Captain Hansja Sharma, 27, from Jammu, just became the first woman in the Indian Army to fly the Rudra armed helicopter.
She's leading the 251 Army Aviation Squadron at this year's Republic Day parade on Kartavya Path—a huge moment for both her and the Army.
Her path wasn't easy: she bounced back from a tough nose surgery and joined up without any coaching.
How she got here
After finishing school in Jammu and pursuing studies in zoology, Sharma joined the Army.
She trained at CAATS Nashik, where she topped her class of 33 officers and won the Silver Cheetah Trophy—the first woman to do so.
She also led her course at Air Force Academy.
Leading from the front
Earlier this month, Sharma led her squadron during Army Day Parade in Rajasthan and demonstrated their HELINA missile system skills.
Now, commanding at Republic Day on Kartavya Path, she's showing what determination (and some serious flying chops) can achieve.