Biography of Sarla Thukral

It is difficult to believe that some women dared and sailed high in the sky back in 1936, a time when they were not allowed to have any ambitions or dreams for their lives. This makes the tale of Sarla Thukral, who flew a Gypsy Moth alone in 1936 that too wearing a sari, appear nearly impossible to believe.

She is also the first female pilot in Indian history, in addition to other things. So let’s read about Sarla Thukral’s complete story.

Brief Information About Sarla Thukral:

Early Life Of Sarla Thukral:

Born in 1914, Sarla Thakral spent her earlier years in Delhi. She married her spouse P.D. Sharma at the age of 16, just like all other ladies back then. She was fortunate to marry into a progressive family with numerous family members who had previously worked as pilots.

Her husband was the first person to earn an airmail pilot’s licence and fly between Karachi and Lahore. The only thing Mrs Sarla needed to do to fulfil her ambition of flying an aeroplane was to muster the confidence to do so.

Being the First Woman in Indian History to Fly an Aircraft: An Epic Journey

Thakral was a natural pilot, and she was right to think so. Sarla began her preparation for her solo journey after receiving encouragement from her spouse and her father-in-law. In the first year of their marriage, she gave birth to a daughter.

She finally obtained her aircraft pilot licence in 1936, at the age of just 21. Thakral, who was modestly clothed in a saree, solo flew a Gypsy moth out of the Lahore Flying Club. After the initial flight, Sarla Thakral continued to fly in the Lahore Flying Club’s aircraft for a total of 1,000 hours. Very soon she was blessed with her second daughter.

She recalled this in an interview many years later. Her teacher, Mr Natoor, had given her the all-clear to fly solo after eight hours and ten minutes of instruction. The first solo in aviation training entails leaving the ground, turning around, and landing by yourself in the aircraft. It is an essential way to initially confirm one’s aptitude for flying. Thakral asked Mr Natoor if they could wait for her husband’s return because she didn’t want to go it alone while he was abroad.

She was the first woman to fly an Indian Aircraft, and thus history will never forget her name.

But tragedy does eventually strike:

Tragic events occurred shortly following Mrs Sarla’s flight adventure. In 1939, her spouse died in an aeroplane crash. After getting over her shock, Sarla Thakral moved on to Jodhpur to submit an application for a commercial pilot’s “B” licence. She adored flying and wished to pursue it as a profession. But she continued to face challenges.

Sadly, when she learned from the school that all civilian flying had been halted, her aspirations were ruined. The British Raj had gathered its forces behind the motherland of Great Britain, which was now engaged in a conflict with Germany that would eventually lead to the outbreak of World War II hence World War II broke out shortly after, and all flying was halted. With a kid to raise and the necessity to support herself, Sarla gave up her plans to become a commercial pilot. Thakral was a brilliant and gifted young woman, and the flight was not the only skill she possessed. She left with a broken heart and went back to Lahore where she enrolled in the Bengal School of Painting and graduated with a diploma in fine arts.

Life Afterwards:

Thakral realised she would have to leave the region where she had built her home and her company while living in Lahore, which was then in Pakistan. Her neighbours warned her of potential violence and pledged to beat her on a pipe if there was an impending threat after realising her hardship as a Hindu. With her kid by her side, Thakral packed what she could and boarded a train towards Delhi. Given the rising level of inter-communal violence throughout the old British Raj, their voyage went without a hitch, which was lucky indeed.

Being a devout member of the Arya Samaj, a spiritual group committed to upholding the Vedic principles, she married again. Before she married R.P. Thakral in 1948, she had two daughters and had faced a difficult time in life with them.

Mrs Sarla Thukral was able to successfully establish herself as a painter and businessman during this second stage of her life. For more than 20 years, she provided various cottage companies with her designs for costume jewellery. Additionally, she started textile printing and sari prints, both of which were wildly successful with the stylish set.

Vijayalaxmi Pandit was one of her customers. Her numerous stunning, vibrant creations, including her beautiful calligraphy, captured the admiration of her clients. She finally started decorating lengthy stretches of the vibrant silk fabric used to make the chic, wraparound garments known as saris.

“Every morning I get up and plan out my day,” she said. I am really thrilled when there is a tonne of work, but when there isn’t, I feel like a beautiful day has been wasted.

She also quoted “Always be happy, it’s crucial for us to be joyful and upbeat,”. My life’s difficulties have been weathered by this one motto.

Google Honour:  

Google dedicated its distinct and temporary homepage logo (doodle) to Sarla Thukral, India’s first woman pilot on the 107th anniversary of her birth- 8^th August 2021. According to a statement released by Google, “Thukral’s soaring achievements have paved the way for generations of Indian women to turn their dreams of flight into reality”. Artist Vrinda Zaveri illustrated her doodle.

Interesting Fact About Sarla Thukral:

• Sarla Thakral is the 4th most popular Painter, the 498th most popular biography from India, and the 1,485th most popular painter overall.

Women often face challenges in their daily lives, but Mrs Sarla Thakral sets an example by being bold and pursuing her aspirations. Even though Sarla Thakral died in 2008, her story will live on in our memories for countless years.

She was considered the oldest and fittest person in her neighbourhood even at the age of 91, making her a true gem.