Anchal Gangwal, recently commissioned as a flying officer of the Indian Air Force (IAF), proves once again that success stories can be written despite financial odds. The 24-year old from Madhya Pradesh’s obscure Neemuch district, located 400 km away from Bhopal, was born to Mr. Suresh Gangwal, a tea-seller by profession for the past 25-years.
Anchal’s path to success was far from being a cakewalk. It was already not easy for Mr. Gangwal, a father of three well-mannered children including Anchal, to make the ends meet. Affording Anchal’s good-quality education was all the more difficult.
“One can understand my financial condition. At times, I faced problems in depositing her school or college fee. I had to borrow money from others on many occasions to deposit the fee. Sometimes I had to pretend to be out of town to delay fees deposition,” said Suresh Gangwal to PTI, recalling the tough times. Mr. Gangwal himself pursued his studies till the 10th standard.
Mr. Gangwal reminisced how his three children used to be the silent spectators beholding their parents working relentlessly at the road-side tea-stall. Still, they did not throw tantrums or even wish anything beyond the reach of their parents. Despite limited resources, Anchal was determined and was never short of persevering towards the attainment of her goal of becoming an IAF pilot. Both literally and metaphorically, the sky was the only limit for her!
An academically brilliant Anchal graduated in computer science from a government degree college in Neemuch. After graduation, she went around the bookstalls to gather information regarding the preparation of the entrance examination AFCAT(Air Force Common Admission Test) and pass the SSB (Services Selection Board) for training at the Air Force Academy.
“She was determined and got success in the sixth attempt,” her proud father said. While making attempts for clearing the examination, she became a sub-inspector of Madhya Pradesh police and later swapped her job after being chosen as a labor inspector.
The valor of IAF personnel during the rescue operations of 2013 Kedarnath Tragedy inspired her to pursue the profession.
“She was a bright student and also a basketball player. She first wished to join the Air Force after seeing the IAF personnel helping people during the Kedarnath tragedy. And, now her dream has come true,” Mr. Gangwal explained elatedly.
Not only has she been commissioned as an Air Force pilot, but on June 20th she was also presented with the ‘President Plaque’ for being the topper based on merit in Ground Duty branches during the Combined Graduation Parade, at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, Hyderabad.
“I owe it to my father who taught me to be tough in tough times. I followed the mantra, ‘Never give up’ taught by my father, religiously, to achieve my goal”, said Anchal humbly after receiving the award from the hands of Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria.
Though it was a moment of realizing dreams for the family due to the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, the family was unable to be physically present with her. “Her commissioning was a proud moment for our family, but we could not make it (to the Air Force Academy at Dundigal) to see her due to the coronavirus-induced restrictions,” her father revealed with remorse. Nonetheless, they were thrilled to watch Anchal in the uniform on TV that telecasted the IAF Academy’s Combined Graduation Parade from Hyderabad.
On the occasion of pride, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan took to Twitter to congratulate her. “Anchal, daughter of Suresh Gangwal, who runs a tea shop in Neemuch, will now fly the fighter plane in the Air Force. Daughter Anchal, who made Madhya Pradesh proud, will now fly in the heights of the infinite sky to protect the pride and honor of the country. Congratulations, blessings, and best wishes to the daughter,” he tweeted on June 22.
“Kudos to Aanchal Gangwal, a tea seller’s daughter from Neemuch district in Madhya Pradesh who got commissioned into Indian Air Force as an officer. She also topped the IAF academy and bagged the President’s Plaque. Women’s empowerment is the way forward”, wrote the Union Minister, Prakash Javadekar on his Tweet.
It was only in 2018 that flying Officer Avani Chaturvedi became the first Indian woman to fly solo on a fighter jet. The following year, Flight Lieutenant Bhawana Kanth became the first woman pilot to be eligible for being tasked with combat missions on a fighter jet. While women are forced to prove their mettle in the armed forces time and again, the journey of these women’s struggle is yet to reach the finish line.
Though a long road awaits Anchal, she has clearly empowered herself in a manner that sets examples for the generations of young women of the country aspiring to join the forces, notwithstanding the humble background. The story of Anchal’s success is emblematic of robust will power, relentless resilience, and tireless perseverance.