Anchal Gangwal: Tea Seller’s daughter becomes Indian Air Force Pilot

There is nothing IMPOSSIBLE in the world when IMPOSSIBLE itself says ‘I’M POSSIBLE!’

Isn’t this a wonderful adage that we should always remember when we feel overwhelmed by the adversities that we face?

And, we believe, this is exactly what 24-year-old Anchal Gangwal, hailing from the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh follows.

A tea seller’s daughter, Anchal Gangwal has recently been commissioned into the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a Flying Officer!

However, this was certainly not an easy journey for her and it was fraught with obstacles. Coming from a very modest and humble background, oftentimes, Anchal and her father Suresh Gangwal, who has been selling tea at a bus stop in Neemuch town in Madhya Pradesh from the past 25 years, would not have enough money to pay her education fees and struggled to make ends meet.

“One can understand my financial condition. At times, I faced problems in depositing her school or college fee. I had to borrow money from others on many occasions to deposit the fee. Sometimes I had to pretend to be out of town to delay fees deposition,” said the proud father Suresh Gangwal.

A bright student, Anchal was inspired to join the Air Force after she witness how the IAF officers helped evacuate people to safety during the catastrophic 2013 Kedarnath floods that hit India. She then researched extensively on how she could pursue her dreams and began working in that direction with much determination and resolve.

Never letting her financial condition deter her and fighting against all odds, she cracked the Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT) and became one of the 19 women officers to be commissioned by the Indian Air Force on 20th June 2020. In the ceremony, she was also awarded the President’s Plaque for standing first in Ground Duty branches.

Crediting her parents for her success, Anchal said, “When I told my parents that I want to be in defence, they were a little worried like any parent. But they never tried to stop me. In fact, they have always been the pillars of my life.”

Unfortunately, her parents could not be present at the commission ceremony due to the travel restrictions imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic. However, we can imagine how proud they’d be of their daughter!

We wish Anchal the best in her career and hope she soars to newer heights in the bright blue skies!