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"I grew up in the Indian Airlines Colony in Bombay, surrounded by pilots,” states 20-year-old Karishma Kanga, first officer of Indigo Airlines, who always wanted to become a pilot like her father Captain Rashid Kanga. "As a young child, I saw the respect that my father had earned through his profession. That was my driving force.”
Her parents were always very supportive of her career choice. She made it through the tough selection process, training in India and abroad. "I entered via the IndiGo Cadet Program after my 10+2. There were three rounds of selection, from a written exam to an interview. On completion of flying hours and exams for the Commercial Pilot License (CPL), I was sent to Hoofddorp in The Netherlands for my type rating on an A320 aircraft.” She started working as a first officer on A320 aircraft in August 2018. "This is my dream come true! I never thought that my childish fascination for flying would become my life’s most important goal and that I would achieve it!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are two pilots in the cockpit: captain and first officer. "Both pilots are equally responsible for the aircraft,” she explains. "At any point, responsibilities are shared. Certainly, one pilot has to take over complete charge of the aircraft in case the other pilot is not able to fulfill his or her duties.”
The first officer assists the commander in flight preparations, operations and keeps in contact with the cabin crew to ensure safety, comfort and convenience of the passengers, notes Wikipedia. The job has its tense moments, "My responsibility as a pilot is to keep the tension away from the aircraft,” she notes.
Flight timings, hours and days are variable but she unwinds after a long day at work with "good Parsi ‘bhonu.’ It’s the best way to unwind. I’m also an extrovert. So, I often meet people whom I know for a snack or a meal or just to chat. I enjoy visiting restaurants where karaoke is going on. I occasionally sing along too.” Her hobbies and interests include "singing, dancing, painting, skating, writing, and a lot of cultural and other activities like public speaking, extempore debates; and of course, eating, if that counts as a hobby! Even today, every time I have to step on a podium to speak, especially when it is on behalf of a group, I feel very honored. 
"I’d like to excel in my hobbies. Sometimes, I paint to de-stress.” Like most girls her age, she spends time performing some elaborate skin care ritual. "It’s very relaxing. And then there are days when I try to learn some new make up ideas.”
Karishma works from Bombay while her family resides in Secunderabad. "As a kid, I grew up at my maternal grandparents’ place in Bombay. Even when I stayed at home, my parents made sure I grew up as a strong, independent woman. I love my family but I don’t feel that I require to be physically close to them in order to be emotionally close.” That’s why she says she is not homesick.
"I was taught to pray when I was very young. And I think that that was the greatest lesson of all. I always wear my sudreh and kusti. My prayers enable me to stay calm and composed through trying times. They give me hope, strength, wisdom and confidence. My family and I have visited the eight atash behrams every single year since I was born. I’m very grateful to my parents for the way they have raised me. I only wish that my mother (Shirley, née Shroff), who is a great cook, was the chef on board my flights!” Karishma’s younger siblings Roxanne (16) and Farzana (12) are in school.
She has clear views of the Parsi community. "I believe in quality over quantity. That’s exactly my outlook about our community. We may be a minority, but we have so many achievers and people who have done this country proud. We don’t discriminate between the male and female genders. Our community has trusts to aid those who need help. We have a very broad-minded and practical approach to religion; our religion is not restricted to myths but is instead based on facts and we are not required to sacrifice any luxuries in life to be closer to God.
"We are a very progressive community. That’s very important in these times.” While growing up, she has interacted with people of all communities. "Travelling has made me interact with several people abroad too and learn about their cultures.
 "I’m a very career oriented person, always have been. I’d like to grow in this profession. I’d like to be a very successful pilot. To me, no amount of money can match the happiness and satisfaction of being appreciated by other captains. I’d like to be looked up to. It would be great to be a good mentor to others, just like my father has been to a lot of students. My future goal is to earn the respect that my father has in his career.”