Woman pilot from Jabalpur becomes first recipient of Electronic Personnel License

Jabalpur: A 22-year-old woman from Jabalpur has become the first pilot in India to receive the Electronic Personnel License (EPL), a digital version of traditional physical license that will be accessible via a mobile application.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Thursday launched the EPL for pilots in New Delhi, a significant step towards modernising and enhancing the safety, security, and efficiency of civil aviation in India. With this, India has become the second country in the world, after China, to implement EPL for flight crew.

Pilot Ishita Bhargava, who hails from Jabalpur, received her EPL at a function held at New Delhi on Thursday in the presence of Naidu, her proud father Rajat Bhargava told PTI on Friday.

She completed her commercial pilot training course in December at the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, an autonomous institution of the Civil Aviation Ministry, he said.

The EPL carries flying records of an individual commercial pilot, Bhargava said.

"The EPL is a digital version of a personnel license that will replace traditional physical licenses for pilots. It will be securely accessible via the eGCA mobile application, ensuring a seamless and transparent process in alignment with the Government of India's "Ease of Doing Business" and "Digital India" initiatives", a statement of the Civil Aviation Ministry said.

"With this advancement, India becomes the second country globally (after China) to implement this advanced system, following approval from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)", it added.

With the launch of EPL, the need for printed cards will be reduced in a phased manner, significantly streamlining the licensing process, the statement said.

"The introduction of the EPL for pilots represents a significant milestone in establishing a globally recognized regulatory framework. It strengthens India's position as a global leader in aviation innovation and ensuring a more robust and tamper-proof licensing system", it added.