Odisha: Anupriya Lakra Becomes First Tribal Woman Pilot

Hailing from Maoist-affected Malkangiri district of Odisha, Anupriya Madhumita Lakra has become the first Tribal woman to fly a commercial flight. 

After seven years of hard work and dedication, she will fulfill her lifelong ambition of becoming a pilot when she joins Indigo Airlines as a co-pilot later in September.

Anupriya had always dreamt of becoming a pilot for which she left her engineering studies in the middle and took admission to the Government Aviation Training Institute (GATI), Bhubaneswar in 2012.

Her parents are elated that their daughter was getting to fulfill her lifelong dreams despite financial difficulties. Her father, Mariniyas Lakra, who is a police constable, said: "Though it was difficult for me to fund her pilot training, I took loans and got help from relatives. I always ensured that my daughter gets an education in the field she wanted to." 

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik too congratulated her on this feat. In a tweet, he said, “I am happy with her achievement. She will be a role model for several girls.”

ମାଲକାନଗିରି ଜିଲ୍ଲାର ଝିଅ ଅନୁପ୍ରିୟା ଲାକ୍ରାଙ୍କ ସଫଳତା ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣି ମୁଁ ବହୁତ ଖୁସି। ନିଷ୍ଠାପର ଉଦ୍ୟମ ବଳରେ ସେ ହାସଲ କରିଥିବା ସଫଳତା ଅନେକଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଉଦାହରଣ। ଜଣେ ଦକ୍ଷ ପାଇଲଟ୍ ଭାବେ ଆଗାମୀ ଦିନରେ ସେ ଆହୁରି ସୁନାମ ଅର୍ଜନ କରନ୍ତୁ। ତାଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଓ ସାଧୁବାଦ।https://t.co/1IIbEwJxHf

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) September 8, 2019

Tribal leader and president of Odisha Adivasi Kalyan Mahasangha, Niranjan Bisi said Lakra, an Oraon tribeswoman, was not only the first tribal woman from Malkangiri, but Odisha. “In a district that is yet to see a railway line, it is a matter of pride for tribals there that a local woman will now fly a plane,” said Bisi.