Aanchal Gangwal, Daughter of Tea Seller in Madhya Pradesh’s Neemuch, Commissioned Into IAF As Flying Officer

Despite all odds, Aanchal Gangwal fulfilled her dream of becoming an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer. The daughter of a tea seller from a small district in Madhya Pradesh, was commissioned into the IAF as a flying officer. Aanchal was awarded the President’s Plaque at the Combined Graduation Parade by Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on Saturday.

The IAF officer is a Computer Science graduate from Sitaram Jaju Government College in Neemuch. She then joined the Madhya Pradesh police as a Sub-Inspector. After she got into merit as Labour Inspector, she quit the job of Sub-Inspector, reported The Hindu. After working for eight months there she was recommended in the Services Selection Board (SSB) interview. She cleared the interview in the sixth attempt. Combined Graduation Parade 2020: 61 Officers Join Flying Branch, 62 Inducted Into Ground Duty Branches of IAF; Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria Reviews The Parade.

Aanchal’s father Suresh Gangwal has been running a small tea stall in Neemuch district for a long time. She was bit disappointed as her parents could not attend the Passing Out Parade due to coronavirus pandemic. Aanchal told The New Indian Express, ““I used to dream of this day almost every night. To stand in my uniform, in front of my father and mother, who have fought all the difficulties in their lives to get me here. However, due to Covid-19 that could not happen. But I am happy that they could see the ceremony on television.”

The Combined Graduation Parade was held at Air Force Academy, Dundigal on June 20, 2020. Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria the parade. formally conferred the ‘President’s Commission’ on 123 Flight Cadets as well as awarded ‘Wings’ to 11 officers from Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard. Amongst the newly commissioned officers, 61 officers joined the Flying branch with 62 being inducted into Ground Duty Branches of the IAF.