Who Is Sakshi Kochhar: 18-Year-Old Girl Becomes Youngest Indian To Get Pilot Licence

Sakshi Kochhar, aged 18, broke the previous record of 'Youngest Commercial Pilot of India' held by Maitri Patel, who attained her licence aged 19 years.

Sakshi Kochhar has become the 'Youngest Commercial Pilot of India', breaking the previous record of another female pilot from India, Maitri Patel, who held the record at 19-years of age. Sakshi, born on May 30, 2005, in a small town Parwanoo, the Gateway of Himachal Pradesh, has become the youngest pilot aged 18 years, reported ANI. Interestingly, both were trained under captain Dr AD Manek, the pilot Instructor. She achieved her flying hour target within seven and half months, which coincided with her 18th birthday on May 30, 2023, when she received her Commercial Pilot License and became the youngest Commercial Pilot of India.

Early Life

Born and brought up in a small business family having their own trading business in footwear and apparel, Sakshi completed her primary education in Parwanoo. As per ANI, she completed her 10th class in Himachal Pradesh and had nurtured an interest in flying airplanes since then. As she yearned to become Pilot, she opted for Science with Physics and Maths subjects in her 12th standard.

Sakshi momentarily left her passion for learning dance in which she was declared the first runner-up in the Dance Competition at the State level. She opted to study for her Senior Secondary Education (12th Standard) at Government Model Senior Secondary School in Chandigarh.

Pilot's Training

After 12th, Sakshi pursued to achieve her goal for which she joined the Skyline Aviation Club in Mumbai for her Commercial Pilot License (CPL) training. After completing initial theory training of four months, the aviation club deputed her for advanced flight training with their designated training centre in the USA. Sakshi travelled 8,500 miles to the USA for training to become a pilot.

Getting a CPL in the United States is a costlier task but her family supported her fully and now she is a CPL holder and looking to fly. As per Sakshi, she spent around Rs 70 lakh to get her CPL and she is aiming to return the money to her parents. "I am so lucky to have been brought up in a loving family consisting of my grandparents, parents and an elder brother who always fostered me to achieve my dreams," Sakshi told ANI.

"Aviation is a very costlier business and I spent around 70 lacs to get CPL. Once I get the job I will return the money to my parents," she told ANI. Sakshi said she wants to make her parents proud. Right from the age of 10, Sakshi was fascinated by the aviation industry that developed a passion in her to become pilot and aspired to do something big in life.