Meet Anupriya Lakra, The First Tribal Woman To Become Commercial Pilot from Odisha

By: News Desk |
September 9, 2019 2:57 pm

A 27-year old has scripted history by becoming the first tribal woman from Odisha’s Malkangiri district to become a commercial pilot. Anupriya Lakra will join Indigo Airlines later this month, reports Hindustan Times.
After joining an engineering college, Anupriya realised this is not her calling and she decided joined the Government Aviation Training Institute (GATI), Bhubaneswar.

Anupriya’s father Marinyas Lakra is a police constable in Malkangiri. “Though it was difficult for me to fund her pilot training, I took loans and got help from relatives. I always ensured that my daughter gets an education in the field she wanted to,” Mariniyas Lakra told HT.

Overwhelmed by her daughter’s achievement Anupriya’s mother Jimaj said “I am very happy. It is a matter of pride for the people of Malkangiri. Her success will inspire other girls.”

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took to social media to congratulate Lakra. “I am happy to learn about the success of Anupriya Lakra. The success achieved by her through dedicated efforts and perseverance is an example for many,” Patnaik tweeted.

ମାଲକାନଗିରି ଜିଲ୍ଲାର ଝିଅ ଅନୁପ୍ରିୟା ଲାକ୍ରାଙ୍କ ସଫଳତା ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣି ମୁଁ ବହୁତ ଖୁସି। ନିଷ୍ଠାପର ଉଦ୍ୟମ ବଳରେ ସେ ହାସଲ କରିଥିବା ସଫଳତା ଅନେକଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଉଦାହରଣ। ଜଣେ ଦକ୍ଷ ପାଇଲଟ୍ ଭାବେ ଆଗାମୀ ଦିନରେ ସେ ଆହୁରି ସୁନାମ ଅର୍ଜନ କରନ୍ତୁ। ତାଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ଓ ସାଧୁବାଦ।https://t.co/1IIbEwJxHf

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) September 8, 2019

Presence of tribal women in the workforce
Anupriya’s success assumes more significance as the tribal population finds marginal participation in the workforce. NSSO’s report on Employment and Unemployment among Social Groups in 2011-12 shows some alarming statistics regarding miniscule presence of tribal women in the workforce.The unemployment rate among Scheduled Tribe women increased from 3.4 per cent in 2004-05 to 4.8 per cent in 2011-12, the report says.In rural India, the unemployment rate for tribal women rose from 0.4 per cent to 1.1 per cent during the same period.