"I want to fly like a bird in the sky"

World’s youngest captain to fly Boeing777

Dreaming to achieve, and dreaming to dream has a difference. So, achieving it and putting effort has a story to tell. 

Interaction with Anny Divya, she is a  Commander from Mumbai. During an interaction, we came to know a lot about her, what she did, how she went, and many more.

It was asked about how she became a pilot and when it all started? 

She said that she decided to be a pilot, she was just 10 years old. Her biggest dream was to become a pilot and was very young, she went to my mom and said," I want to fly, I want to fly like a bird in the sky." I want to feel the clouds. How do I do that? Replying to her curiosity her mom said if you want to do that you have to become a pilot. There was not even an airport at that time where she was living. The first time she stepped into the airplane was to learn how to fly.

Do you know Anny Divya is the world's youngest pilot to fly the Boeing 777? Briefing about Boeing 777 it is an American long-range wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet.

So, it was asked about How was the feeling and how did this happen? She said the Feeling was magical, it took her a lot of effort, strong will & hard work, more importantly, patience & persistence along with all she made it come true with the right place and right time. 

You know, Being a pilot means taking a lot of risks!  A pilot carries a lot of responsibilities. It was questioned about Any challenges faced during the process?

She said, Yes! The job definitely comes with a lot of sense of responsibility but it also prepares us with good training to handle all kinds of difficult situations and risks. I had some personal difficulties when I just started to train for a pilot. When I went for my initial training a lot of people made fun on the way, for my dress, style, and even my language. OK if I'm making mistakes people would laugh and I'll wait till they finish laughing and I'll ask OK if you're done with laughing, please let me know what is right because I want to learn. And that helped me learn so much more and grow so much faster and where would I stop. I don't know.

Knowing about Anny Divya's inspirational story - While I was facing a lot of issues & difficulties through my initial training I called my mother and told her about it, She told me do not to bother about the fees we paid (which was very high) your home doors are always open for you do not bother about anything you can come back whenever you want it gave me a lot of confidence and comfort, then she asked me what would you like to do when you come back. I started thinking she said whatever would you like to do in life, whether doctor, Engineering or whichever profession you would like to pursue, remember that it will have its own challenges. That statement of her’s made me think... If I had to face challenges anyway I might as well do it for the one I am passionate about. Trust me I was unstoppable after that ..!

Difficulties and challenges are just a part of life. When people grow out of it. It is just a victory. You know Anny Divya has a list of celebrities who have been on board with her trip. Celebrities like Abhishek Bachchan, Farah Khan, Sadguru, Kartik Aaryan, Deepika Padukone, John Abraham, and many more are on the list who have been on her journey.

The inspirational part of Anny Divya's story is she is not just a Commander,  she is also a lawyer and Motivational speaker. It was asked Is it true to motivate someone you also need to be the same? How does the Josh inside you boost when you go on the stage? How do you manage everything like a lawyer, speaker, model, kickboxing, fitness, and so many other things? How do you do time management? She said It’s definitely a juggle but what helps me juggle is keeping the priorities clear & I love doing it.

Getting a name and fame isn't easy, coming into focus also has some points to tell. Which story brought you into the focus? 

She said, No success story is without struggle, I had my share of success and failures. Facing tough opposition from people around made my parents rethink before making their decision of enrolling me as I was a girl entering an unknown profession with high training costs. As one of the youngest women in this industry from the time I came into aviation, I had to overcome preconceived notions and build trust and confidence amongst my peers through grit, hard work, and patience.In my small town of Vijaywada in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, with no aviation school and no knowledge of becoming a pilot, I have faced and been through plenty of challenges, language barriers, cultural differences, financial issues, no knowledge of aviation and even sense of fashion to name few, as coming from a smaller town to among people who were good with all of it. Initially, I used to feel bad and also was very timid but soon I overcame those with the support of family, my teachers who helped me to recognize my strengths, most importantly my determination to succeed helped me to focus on what is wrong and how to correct them, so by the time I finished my training, I was completely transformed and got the job immediately. With her hard work, patience, and skill to learn.

She got the worldwide name by being the world’s youngest captain of Boeing777. 

A note to all the readers and youth.

She replied I want all young women to pursue their dreams. While choosing your career, consider all the options available to you without thinking that you are a girl, and choose the one you are passionate about because then you will not only do well but also you will love what you are doing.

Times Magazine India wishes Anny Divya good luck and thanks for sharing her inspirational story with us!