Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl 2020

Beginning in Lucknow, 1984, the story opens with young Gunjan Saxena on a flight with her older brother, Anshuman. A kind air hostess eases her curiosity and guides her to the cockpit, where the sight of the controls and the hum of the engine ignite a dream to become a pilot.

A few years later, Gunjan is celebrated for academic excellence as her proud parents, Anup and Kirti, plan to send her to high school. But she longs to abandon traditional schooling and train for the skies. Anshuman, who has joined the army, argues that women belong in the kitchen, while their father remains a steady advocate for gender equality and supports Gunjan’s pursuit. She perseveres through repeated setbacks—financial hurdles and questions about qualifications—before an advertisement for entry into the Indian Air Force offers a real chance.

Anshuman, now in the military, disapproves and tells her the Air Force isn’t a place for women. She refuses to listen and proceeds with the application, eventually learning that she is the only female accepted.

During medical testing, she discovers she is one centimeter too short and seven kilograms too heavy for the requirements. Devastated, she contemplates defeat until Anup encourages her and they devise a rigorous workout plan to meet the standards. At the retest, she still falls short on height, but officials decide that the length of her limbs will compensate, and she is admitted into the force. Anup and Kirti beam with pride, even as Anshuman remains skeptical of his sister’s path. Undeterred, Gunjan begins training.

The brutal routine and the male-dominated environment challenge her, and she wonders whether to quit. Yet as the Kargil War erupts in 1999, the need for pilots intensifies, and she resolves to serve despite her brother’s continued reservations.

She volunteers for a mission to help the wounded during the war. She and another pilot fly separate helicopters to reach the injured soldiers. Back at the base, there is pressure to abort the mission, but she presses on. When the other helicopter is hit by RPG fire, she risks her own safety to rescue the surviving pilot and the wounded soldiers, pulling off a dangerous maneuver under fire. The feat earns her the respect of her male comrades and brings a sense of pride to her family.

In the aftermath, Gunjan is recognized for bravery and becomes a symbol of courage within the force, making Anshuman and Anup proud of the daughter who refused to be defined by gender. The story closes with a note on determined women in combat and the power of perseverance.