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
March 27,2025

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The Karnataka government has announced that Nandini milk will become ₹4 costlier per litre starting April 1, 2025. This is the second price hike this year.

The decision was made during a cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Karnataka Cooperation Minister K N Rajanna and Animal Husbandry Minister K Venkatesh said the increase is meant to support dairy farmers by covering the rising costs of producing and processing milk.

Officials also said that:

>> The extra money from the price hike will go directly to the milk producers.

>> The earlier ₹2 price hike (announced on June 26, 2024) will be withdrawn.

>> The new price hike of ₹4 will apply to both 500 ml and 1-litre packets.

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coastaldigest.com news network
March 20,2025

Mangaluru International Airport (MIA), Karnataka’s second busiest airport, has seen 148.5kg of gold smuggled between 2019 and December 2024, with 90% arriving from the UAE. Customs officials recorded 346 cases, averaging 30kg of gold seized per year (2.5kg per month). Most smugglers are from Kerala and Bhatkal.

A senior customs officer revealed that MIA sees at least five gold smuggling cases per month. Numbers dropped during the pandemic but surged after flights resumed. Many offenders are first-time carriers, while some are habitual smugglers. With fewer flights, customs thoroughly checks passengers, making smuggling harder.

Smugglers constantly innovate concealment methods. Hiding gold in the rectum remains common, but gold is also found in trolley bags, mobile covers, chocolate boxes, milk powder, biscuit packets, and clothing layers. Electronic devices like car speaker magnets, LED bulbs, AirPods, wristwatches, and ballpoint pens have been used.

Unusual tactics include hiding gold in a woman’s hairband, a baby’s diaper, and even a kheer mix packet (347g). In one case, a passenger attempted to smuggle 100g in his mouth under a mask but was caught.

Officials note that while the UAE remains a key source, smugglers now bring gold from other Gulf countries, continuously adapting to evade detection.

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Agencies
March 28,2025

Udupi: Deputy Commissioner K. Vidya Kumari has directed officials to expedite land acquisition for designated industrial zones in the district to facilitate new industries. She issued these instructions during a meeting at Rajatadri on Wednesday.

Lands have been identified across various taluks for industrial development. The DC emphasized that KIADB must acquire these lands and ensure essential infrastructure—electricity, roads, and drainage—to attract industries and generate employment.

A total of 77 acres of private land has been acquired and compensated, including 31.2 acres in Kerebettu village, Hebri taluk, and 45.7 acres in Shivapura village. However, approval for 36.5 acres of government land is still pending. She instructed the forest department to assess whether this land falls under an eco-sensitive zone.

For the Belapu Industrial Area, the DC urged officials to accelerate minor land acquisitions for road expansion and commence construction at the earliest. She also mandated rainwater harvesting systems for all units in the Miyaru Industrial Area to tackle water scarcity.

Currently, 22 export-based units operate in the district. The DC encouraged further promotion of exports and an increase in their number.

The meeting was attended by Joint Director of Industries Nagraj V. Naik, KIADB Development Officer Srinivasa Murthy, Small-Scale Industries Association District President Harish Kunder, Deputy Director of the District Industrial Center Seetharam Shetty, District Skill Development Officer Arun B., and others.

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