A local of Sumbal Sonawari, Capt. Sami Ara Surury, who earned her CPL (Commercial Pilot License) in the year 1994, is the first Kashmiri woman to have earned the license to fly commercial planes.
Capt. Ara had to fight her way to where she is today, going well against the wishes of her own family who wanted her to get an MBBS, become a doctor and settle quietly in life. From applying and succeeding in getting a job as a cabin crew, to becoming a commercial pilot, it was a strenuous journey for the simple Kashmiri girl, with less than required financial resources during the turbulence which was taking place in the Valley in 1987.
This journey took her more than half a decade, though she successfully achieved her goal by obtaining her CPL by completing her pilot training from Texas, USA. She is presently 48 and an Airbus pilot – an inspiration to all those young women who dream and aim to fly high!
