https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Sarla_ThukralSarla Thukral - Revision history2026-08-18T01:59:00ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sarla_Thukral&diff=385388&oldid=prevWikiDwarf: Creating Sarla Thukral2023-06-23T19:18:06Z<p>Creating Sarla Thukral</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Pioneer Indian woman pilot (1914–2008)}}<br />
{{EngvarB|date=March 2015}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}}<br />
{{Infobox person<br />
| name = Sarla Thukral<br />
| image = Sarla Thakral.jpg<br />
| caption = <br />
| native_name = सरला ठकराल<br />
| native_name_lang = hi<br />
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=no|1914|08|08}}<br />
| birth_place =[[Delhi]]<br />
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=no|2008|3|15|1914|08|08}}<br />
| nationality = Indian<br />
| occupation = Businesswoman, painter and designer<br />
| known_for = One of the first Indian women to fly aircraft<br />
| spouse = {{plainlist|<br />
* P. D. Sharma<br />
* R.P Thakral<br />
}}<br />
| children = 2<br />
}}<br />
'''Sarla Thukral''' (8 August 1914<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-08-08|title=Google doodle honours Sarla Thukral, first Indian woman to fly an aircraft|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/trending/google-doodle-honours-sarla-thakral-first-indian-woman-to-fly-an-aircraft-101628391247148.html|access-date=2021-08-08|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref> – 15 March 2008<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=hi&u=https://hindi.indiatvnews.com/india/national-first-lady-indian-pilot-704.html&prev=search|title=Sarla Thukral, in a clear sky|date=May 14, 2015|website=hindi.indiatvnews.com|access-date=2019-02-23}}</ref>) was among the first Indian women to fly aircraft.<ref>{{cite web<br />
| url=http://centennialofwomenpilots.com/sarla-thakral-india/<br />
| title=First National Pilot Licences: Sarla Thukral – India<br />
| date=2015-07-25<br />
| publisher=Institute for Women Of Aviation Worldwide<br />
| accessdate=2017-08-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web<br />
| url=http://www.news18.com/photogallery/india/womens-day-top-100-coolest-women-of-all-time-787706.html<br />
| title=Women's Day: Top 100 coolest women of all time: 72/100<br />
| date=2011-03-08<br />
| publisher=[[CNN-IBN]]<br />
| accessdate=2017-08-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web<br />
| url=http://www.ndtv.com/video/features/news/down-memory-lane-first-woman-pilot-recounts-life-story-6231<br />
| title=Down memory lane: First woman pilot recounts life story<br />
| date=2006-08-13<br />
| publisher=[[NDTV]]<br />
| accessdate=2017-08-04}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Early life and marriage ==<br />
Born in 1914, she earned an aviation pilot license in 1936 at the age of 21 and flew a [[De Havilland Gipsy Moth|Gypsy Moth]] solo. After obtaining the initial license, she persevered and completed one thousand hours of flying in the aircraft owned by the Lahore Flying Club. Her husband, P. D. Sharma,<ref>{{Cite news<br />
| url=http://www.ntd.tv/inspiring/india-inspired-stories/in-1936-she-was-the-first-woman-pilot-to-enter-the-cockpit-in-a-saree.html<br />
| title=In 1936, she was the first woman pilot to enter the cockpit in a saree!<br />
| date=2017-09-16<br />
| publisher=[[NTDTV]]<br />
| accessdate=2017-10-25}}</ref> whom she married at 16 and who came from a family which had nine pilots, encouraged her. <br />
<br />
== Aviation career ==<br />
While P.D Sharma had been the first Indian to get his airmail pilot's license, flying between [[Karachi]] and [[Lahore]], his wife was among the first women in India (Mrs [[Hijab Imtiaz Ali|Imtiaz Ali]] received an A license in June 1936,<ref>{{cite journal|author=Anon|title=Indian Womanhood|page=92| journal=The Modern Review|date=January 1937}}</ref> but Urmila Parikh was the first woman of Indian nationality to get a license in 1932. Sylla and Rodabeh Tata, sisters of [[J. R. D. Tata|J.R.D. Tata]] got licenses earlier but the Tatas were of British nationality. Sylla Petit née Tata was technically the first woman in British India to obtain a license, Certificate No. 11, May 1929.<ref>{{cite book|url= https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.36681/page/n348/mode/1up|page=338| title=Indian Cyclopedia|editor= Chandra, P.T.|year=1934}}</ref>) to attain her "A" license, when she accumulated more than 1,000 hours of flying.<ref name="tribuneindia">{{cite web<br />
| url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060205/society.htm#1<br />
| title=Flying colours & ground reality<br />
| first=Smriti Kak<br />
| last=Ramachandran<br />
| date=2006-02-05<br />
| work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]<br />
| accessdate=2017-08-04}}</ref><br />
<br />
Tragically, Sharma died in an airplane crash in 1939. After some time, Sarla tried to apply to train for her commercial pilot license, but [[World War II]] had begun and civil training was suspended. With a child to raise, and needing to earn her livelihood, Sarla abandoned her plans to become a commercial pilot, returning to Lahore and attending the [[Mayo School of Arts|Mayo School of Art]] where she trained in the [[Bengal School of Art|Bengal school of painting]], obtaining a diploma in fine arts.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-08-08|title=Sarla Thakral Google Doodle: Family, Quotes, First Indian Female Pilot|url=https://samacharkhabar.com/sarla-thakral-google-doodle/|access-date=2021-08-11|website=Samachar Khabar News|language=en-US}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Personal life and death ==<br />
Thukral was a dedicated follower of the [[Arya Samaj]], a spiritual community dedicated to following the teachings of the [[Vedas]].<ref>{{cite web<br />
| url=http://www.dnaindia.com/speak-up/report-remember-sarla-Thakral-s-maiden-flight-of-fancy-1316073<br />
| title=Remember Sarla Thukral's maiden flight of fancy<br />
| first=Jayant<br />
| last=Kulkarni<br />
| date=2009-11-25<br />
| work=[[Daily News and Analysis]]<br />
| accessdate=2017-08-04}}</ref> Within this community, remarriage was a possibility for Thakral. After the [[Partition of India]], she moved to [[Delhi]] with her two daughters, where she met R. P. Thakral and married him in 1948. <br />
<br />
Thukral, also known as Mati, became a successful businesswoman, painter and began designing clothes and costume jewellery.<ref name="tribuneindia" /> She died in 2008.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web<br />
| url=http://www.the-south-asian.com/May-June2003/sarla_thakral__first_woman_pilot.htm<br />
| title=Sarla Thakral - India's First Lady Pilot - Still Flying High<br />
| date=2003<br />
| first=Sanjay<br />
| last=Austa<br />
| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226151434/http://www.the-south-asian.com/May-June2003/sarla_Thakral__first_woman_pilot.htm<br />
| archivedate=2008-12-26<br />
| url-status=dead<br />
| accessdate=2017-08-04}}</ref><br />
<br />
== In popular culture ==<br />
On 8 August 2021, [[Google]] honoured Thukral with a [[Google Doodle]] on her birth anniversary.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sarla Thukral's 107th Birthday|url=https://www.google.com/doodles/sarla-thukrals-107th-birthday|access-date=2021-08-08|website=www.google.com|language=en}}</ref><br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
{{Arya Samaj by country}}<br />
<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thukral, Sarla}}<br />
[[Category:1914 births]]<br />
[[Category:2008 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:People from New Delhi]]<br />
[[Category:Arya Samajis]]<br />
[[Category:Indian aviators]]<br />
[[Category:Aviation pioneers]]</div>WikiDwarf