Sarla Thakral
Sarla Thakral , widowed Sarla Sharma , also Mati (born August 8, 1914 in Delhi ; † March 15, 2008 ibid), was an Indian pilot and artist. She was the first female airmail pilot in India, and later designed costume jewelry and saris .
Life and education
Little is known about Sarla Thakral's early years. She was born in 1914 when India was still a British colony . At the age of 16 she married PD Sharma. She and her husband moved to Lahore to live with his family. Her husband's family was a family of pilots; there were nine pilots in the family and PD Sharma was the first airmailpilot of India. Her husband encouraged her to become a pilot too, but since he didn't have the time to attend classes, her father-in-law Sarla enrolled in the local flight school. She showed a great aptitude for flying, and after just eight hours and ten minutes of training she was trusted to fly alone. Dressed in a sari, she got on the plane, flew it to the desired altitude, and landed it. She was the first Indian woman to acquire an airmail pilot's license after intensive training and flew the route between Karachi and Lahore. Sarla Thakral has been described as dashing, brave and extremely ambitious. After more than 1000 flight hours, she was the first Indian woman to receive the A license, at the age of 21, as the mother of one child.
Professional pilot, artist and entrepreneur
Her husband, Captain Sharma, was killed in a plane crash in 1939, and Sarla Sharma was widowed at the age of 25. Continuing her education, she traveled to Jodhpur and wanted to get a professional pilot's license in hopes of a career in aviation. However, the outbreak of World War II led to the cessation of civil aviation and Sarla Sharma returned to Lahore. She enrolled at the Mayo School of Art , now the National College of Arts . There she was trained in the Bengali painting school and obtained a diploma as a visual artist. She designed and made costume jewelry, which enjoyed great popularity, and was engaged in decorating saris.
After India's independence and the division of the area, Sarla Sharma initially lived in Lahore, which now belonged to Pakistan . Being a Hindu , a neighbor who was concerned for her safety advised her to leave the city with her daughters and go to India. Sarla Sharma accepted the advice and moved with her two daughters back to Delhi, the city of her birth. She met RP Thakral and married him. She resumed her work in Delhi. She also became known under the name Mati . Her jewelry and saris were in great demand. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was one of her customers . She designed and painted for the National School of Drama.
Sarla Thakral died on March 15, 2008 at the age of 93.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e Purnima Singh: Sarla Thakral: India's First Woman To Fly An Aircraft | #IndianWomenInHistory. In: feminisminindia.com. Feminism In India, 2019, accessed April 10, 2021 (UK English).
- ↑ 7 Interesting Facts You Need To Know About Sarla Thakral, India's First Ever Woman Pilot. In: indiatimes.com. IndiaTimes, 2016, accessed April 10, 2021 (en-IN).
- ↑ a b Sarla Thakral. In: oneindiaonepeople.com. 2019, accessed April 10, 2021 (American English).
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Thakral, Sarla |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Sharma, Sarla; Mati |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | first Indian professional pilot and artist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | August 8, 1914 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Delhi |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 15, 2008 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | New Delhi |