Sub-Lieutenant Riti Singh Bhatia is a serving officer in the Indian Navy. She is one of the first two women, along with Sub-Lieutenant Kumudini Tyagi, to have earned their wings for operating from warships.[1]

Sub-Lieutenant

Riti Singh Bhatia
Born1996
Lucknow , Uttar Pradesh
NationalityIndian
OccupationObserver (Airborne Tactician) in the helicopter fleet
Years active2020 -
EmployerIndian Navy
Known forFirst of 2 airborne combatant ladies operating from Indian warships
SpouseSLt. Shubham Bhatia (married 2022–present)

Early life

Riti comes from a family that has a history of serving in the armed forces for four generations. Her grandfather served as a signals officer in the Indian Army. Her father, Commander S K Singh, retired from the Indian Navy.[2] Her mother is an English teacher, and she has an elder sister, Riya.[3] Both her parents helped her train for the entrance exam.

She was born in 1996 in Uttar Pradesh, where the family hails from. They moved to Hyderabad, Telangana in 2002. She holds a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science. She got married in April 2022 to SLt. Shubham Bhatia, who also serves in the Indian Navy [3]

Career

Riti completed the 22nd Short Service Commission Observer Course[4] from Southern Naval Command, Kochi.[5] This included 60 hours of flying training including sorties and simulator flights.[6]

On September 21, 2020, Riti was inducted as an Observer (Airborne Tactician) in the helicopter fleet of the Indian Navy. She was among a group of 17 officers, including four women officers, and three officers of the Indian Coast Guard, who were awarded "Wings" on graduating as "Observers" at a ceremony held at INS Garuda, Kochi. Rear Admiral Antony George, Chief Staff Officer (Training), presiding over the ceremony, highlighted it as a landmark occasion.[7]

Her training includes Air Navigation, Flying Procedure, Air Warfare, Anti-Submarine Warfare. She is now training to operate a host of sensors onboard navy multi-role, or Utility Helicopters, including sonar consoles and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) payloads. She is likely to fly in the MH-60R Seahawk.[8] Her deployments are expected to be on frontline Indian Navy warships including long duration missions.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "In a first, 2 women officers to operate helicopters from Indian Navy warships". Hindustan Times. 2020-09-21. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  2. ↑ "Meet the lady officers making naval history". Rediff. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  3. 1 2 "Been waiting for this moment all my life: Sub Lieutenant Riti Singh's dreams take 'wing'". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  4. ↑ "Observer - Join Indian Navy | Government of India". www.joinindiannavy.gov.in. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  5. ↑ "2 महिला अफसरों को पहली बार वॉरशिप पर तैनात करेगी नौसेना, ये हेलिकॉप्टरों को ऑपरेट करेंगी; राफेल को भी पहली महिला पायलट जल्द मिलेगी". Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi). 2020-09-21. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  6. ↑ "Designating enemies, pointing out targets will be my job: Navy woman officer picked for deployment on warship". www.timesnownews.com. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  7. ↑ "Women Officers in Helicopter Stream of Indian Navy". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  8. ↑ "Meet The Navy's First Women Combat Aviators To Be Deployed On Warships". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  9. ↑ "2 women officers to operate choppers from warships". Rediff. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
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