Sarla Thakral

Sarla Thakral was the First Indian woman to fly an aircraft and to earn an aviation pilot license at a very young age. She was just 21 years old when she owned her pilot license. She was a mother of a 4-year-old girl child.  when equality and women's empowerment were still just arbitrary concepts She flew a Gypsy Moth solo and was dressed in a saree.



She was born in 1914 in Delhi. She was married at the age of 16. Her husband PD Sharma had 9 pilots in his family and motivated Sarla to fly. She got Licence A after successful 1,000 hours of flying. Her husband was the first Indian pilot to get pilot’s license to fly between Karachi and Lahore. Unfortunately, Sarla lost her husband in a plane crash in 1939. And she was not able to attain Licence B as world war 2 broke out.

She then returned to Lahore and joined the Mayo School of Arts and got a diploma in fine arts. She was re-married to PP Thakral and moved to Delhi. Sarla succeeded in establishing herself as a renowned painter and supplied her jewelry designs for over 20 years.

Her life was not smooth, beyond all the turn, Sarala lived her life to the perfection. She crossed all phase of life and travel in all ups and downs. She was a true inspiration for many women. Even in the later years of her life, she was just as active and involved in writing. Sarla became a successful businesswoman, painter and began designing clothes and costume jewelry. She breathed her last when she was 91 years old in 2008. 


Salute Sarala...! We Miss You...!

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