Sarla Thukral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sarla Thukral
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| सरला ठकराल | |
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| Born | 8 August 1914 [Delhi]
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| Died | 15 March 2008 (aged 93) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Businesswoman, painter and designer |
| Known for | One of the first Indian women to fly aircraft |
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| Children | 2 |
Sarla Thukral (born August 8, 1914 – died March 15, 2008) was an amazing Indian woman. She was one of the very first women in India to fly an airplane! Imagine flying a plane way back in the 1930s.
Contents
Sarla Thukral: A Pioneer in the Sky
Sarla Thukral was born in 1914. She achieved something incredible at just 21 years old. In 1936, she earned her aviation pilot license. This meant she could fly an airplane all by herself!
Early Life and Her Dream to Fly
Sarla was married at the age of 16 to P. D. Sharma. Her husband came from a family of pilots. Nine people in his family were pilots! He really encouraged Sarla to follow her dream of flying.
After getting her first license, Sarla kept flying. She completed one thousand hours of flying. She flew planes owned by the Lahore Flying Club. This was a huge achievement for anyone, especially a woman at that time.
Flying High: Sarla's Aviation Career
Sarla's husband, P.D. Sharma, was also a pioneer. He was the first Indian to get a license for flying airmail. He flew mail between Karachi and Lahore.
Sarla became one of the first women in India to get her "A" license. This license showed she had flown over 1,000 hours. Other women had flown before, but Sarla's achievement was very special.
Sadly, P.D. Sharma died in an airplane crash in 1939. After this, Sarla wanted to train to become a commercial pilot. A commercial pilot flies planes for airlines. But then, World War II started. Because of the war, civilian flight training stopped.
Sarla had a child to take care of. She also needed to earn money. So, she decided to stop her plans of becoming a commercial pilot. She moved back to Lahore.
A New Path: Art and Business
Sarla went to the Mayo School of Art. There, she studied painting. She learned a special style called the Bengal School of Art. She earned a diploma in fine arts.
Sarla was a follower of the Arya Samaj. This is a spiritual group that follows the teachings of the Vedas. In this community, it was okay for widows to remarry.
After the Partition of India, Sarla moved to Delhi. She moved with her two daughters. In Delhi, she met R. P. Thakral. They got married in 1948.
Sarla Thukral was also known as Mati. She became a very successful businesswoman. She was a talented painter. She also started designing clothes and costume jewelry. Sarla Thukral passed away in 2008. She will always be remembered as a brave pioneer.
