Gujarat's Tribal Girl Sheetal Rathwa Overcomes Challenges To Pursue Her Dream Of Flying, Becomes Pilot-In-Training

Chhota Udaipur: Sheetal Jaswantbhai Ranthwa, a young tribal from the remote village of Keldara in Gujarat's Chhota Udaipur district, has overcome all challenges to become a pilot in South Africa, proving that no dream is too big to achieve. Hailing from a humble family, Sheetal dreamed of becoming a pilot when she was studying in Jawahar Navodya Vidyalaya in Alirajpur in Madhya Pradesh.

One day, the helicopter for former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Union Agricultural Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan landed during a program in Chakatla village. A curious Sheetal took her friends to watch the chopper landing, where she said, "I will fly a helicopter one day." Her friends laughed at that moment, but Sheetal had made up her mind to touch the skies.

Despite the challenges of coming from a small, remote village, Sheetal was determined to pursue her dream. After completing her schooling at Jawahar Navodya Vidyalaya, she went on to study engineering in Pune. There, she applied for a pilot course in South Africa. Her application was accepted. The cost of the course was Rs 50 lakh, a sum her family could not afford easily.

Her father, Jaswant Rathwa, a private veterinarian in the village, did everything he could to support his daughter's dreams of flying. The family decided to take a loan of Rs 25 lakh, with assistance from the government and their relatives, who also contributed the remaining funds. Sheetal's mother, a housewife, mortgaged her jewellery. The family also had to mortgage their agricultural land to raise the required amount.

Sheetal, who is now halfway through her pilot training in South Africa, said, "I am grateful to my parents who worked tirelessly to make this dream come true. I am also thankful to my relatives who helped me achieve my dream."

Often practicing for 12 hours a day, learning to fly an airplane, Sheetal dedicated herself completely to the course. With just six months left to complete her training. Sheetal is determined to become a licensed pilot and is already making her family and village proud.