Champion Badminton Star Sindhu becomes first woman to fly in LCA Tejas

Top Indian badminton star P V Sindhu wore yet another feather in her hat by becoming the first woman to have taken a sortie in Tejas cockpit at the 12th edition of Aero India show here Saturday and said the 40 minute sojourn as part of women’s day celebration at the top Air Show in Asia will be cherished by her for long years.
“I am very happy about being the first woman to fly LCA Tejas. This day is dedicated for women at the Aero show. Hence, I will remember this day forever,” she told reporters here after taking the sortie and returning at the tarmac at Yelahanka Air Force Base on Saturday.
Sindhu flew as a co-pilot for 40 minutes and quickly adapted to high speed and height, besides herself within five minutes.
Showering praise on LCA Tejas, Sindhu said the real hero was the indigenous built aircraft and added that it was a great experience and opportunity to co-fly in this great war plane. “It was definitely a great experience and great opportunity. I feel very honoured that Captain Siddharth showed me all the stunts!”
Captain Siddharth Singh, the main pilot said Sindhu pulled at 5G force said with great energy and she being a champion sportsperson helped. ”G-force stands for either the force of gravity on a particular extraterrestrial body or the force of acceleration anywhere. If the force is great enough, a person’s brain and organs won’t get any blood and the person will die. But Sindhu stood the test”.
Asked if she wishes a woman to make the first trip to the space under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Gaganyan Yatra, Sindhu said it is left to the central government’s decision, but the Indian space engineers are doing a great job.
“I will leave it for them (ISRO and central government) to take a decision in this regard, but definitely they are doing a very great job,” she added.
Indian Army chief Rawat had taken a sortie on Tejus, a day after the HAL-made fighter jet received the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) at the air show.
Principal scientific advisor to Indian Government Prof K Vijaya Raghavan also took a sortie during the current Aero India edition.
Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanao had also flown Tejas on the inaugural day of the show. (UNI)