Telangana government to give wings to Muslim woman's dream

Hyderabad, March 24 (IANS) The Telangana government has come forward to extend financial assistance to Syeda Salva Fatima, one of the few Muslim women to hold a commercial pilot's license, for advanced training.

Fatima, daughter of a bakery owner and hailing from poverty-stricken old city of Hyderabad, was looking for the help to undergo multi-engine and type rating training to become eligible for a job in an airline.

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Tuesday handed over letter sanctioning Rs.35.5 lakh to her.

According to a statement from the chief minister's office, the money will be released to Telangana State Aviation Academy upon the applicant taking admission.

The state government came forward to extend the help after an appeal by various Muslim leaders.

Fatima is the first Muslim woman from old city of Hyderabad to hold commercial pilot's license.

The decision was taken after director, minorities welfare, in his report said that her father is working in a bakery and her husband is an employee in a private company and that the family cannot afford the huge fee.

The 26-year-old got commercial pilot's license in 2013 after five-year training at Andhra Pradesh Aviation Academy. She logged in 200 hours of flying on aircraft Cessna 152 and 172, including 123 hours of solo flight.

Zahid Ali Khan, editor of Urdu daily "Siasat" bore the entire expenditure of her training. He had also written to the chief minister and the union civil aviation minister, seeking help for her advanced training.