3 alumnae of Mohali’s Armed Forces Preparatory Institute commissioned as Flying Officers

Three alumnae of the Punjab Government’s Mai Bhago Armed Forces Preparatory Institute for Girls in Mohali were commissioned as Flying Officers in the Indian Air Force, an official statement said. Harnoor Singh, Kritee S Bisht and Alisha successfully passed out from the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, Hyderabad. The passing out parade was reviewed by IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, it said. While Harnoor Singh and Alisha have been commissioned in the Education Branch, Kritee S Bisht has been commissioned as a Flight Controller in the Administration Branch of the Air Force, the statement said. Harnoor Singh’s father, Vikram Singh Bains, is a principal in a government school and hails from Pathankot. Kritee S Bisht is the daughter of Shakti Sharan Singh, an engineer, while Alisha’s father, Sunil Dutt, is a resident of Jalandhar and teaches in a private school, the statement said. Punjab Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training Minister Aman Arora said their success will undoubtedly inspire more daughters of Punjab to pursue a career in the defence services. The Punjab Government established an NDA Preparatory Wing for Girls at Mai Bhago AFPI in July 2023, with the second batch currently undergoing training. Director of the institute Major General Jasbir Singh Sandhu (retd) said the achievement will further energise the state government’s efforts to encourage more girls to join the armed forces.