‘Obese’ pilot takes IAF to court

New Delhi: A woman helicopter pilot who was sacked by the Indian Air Force for being “obese, overweight and unable to fly” has challenged her dismissal in court, calling it “discrimination”.
Prerana Chaturvedi joined the IAF as a 22-year-old trainee 10 years ago. She soon proved her mettle with innumerable sorties from airfields in Bathinda, Sarsawa, Leh and Jamnagar.
Promoted to Flight Lieutenant in four years, her career touched the pinnacle during ‘Operation Parakram’. But soon after, things went wrong; she found herself “grounded”, and then dismissed. The reason — she had put on nine kilos.
Prerana has challenged the IAF decision in the Delhi High Court. She has also asked the National Commission for Women as well as Congress president Sonia Gandhi to intervene.
Prerana, 5 ft 7 inches and 70 kgs while joining in 1995, gained nine kilos by May 2003 when she was declared “permanently unfit for flying”. She was dismissed four months later.
26/08/06 Harish V. Nair/Hindustan Times

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline