From Auto-Rickshawala To Airline Pilot: The Inspirational Story Of Shrikant Pantawane

People often say that sheer hard work and dedication takes you places. They also say perseverance and passion can make your dreams come true. People tell you many things, but seldom do they tell a story as inspirational and motivating as this one. The story of a certain Shrikant Pantawane – an auto-rickshaw delivery boy turned pilot!
Shrikant grew up in Nagpur and was born into a relatively poor family. His father worked as a security guard and there wasn’t much financial income for his family, the lack of which, didn’t allow him to make his son a commercial airline pilot. Shrikant always dreamt of becoming a pilot, but was under the preconceived notion that only those who join the Air Force can fly an aeroplane. Considering his family’s delicate financial condition, he was not only pushed to work at an early age, but also realised that becoming a pilot will not be an easy task. Life’s hard reality dawned upon him, but Shrikant never lost hope and his love of flight.
Shrikant was still studying when he started off as a delivery boy. He managed to get a hold of an auto-rickshaw, which he then used to deliver items within Nagpur. The young lad struggled for four years, managing his studies and his time-consuming job. Then came the day when Shrikant visited the airport to drop off a parcel, and incidentally, saw an airline pilot. Curiosity lead the ambitious youth to strike up a conversation with a nearby tea vendor, where he was made aware of a pilot scholarship programme conducted by the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation), India’s aviation regulator. Fortunately, Shrikant met all the requirements of the DGCA to be eligible for their sponsored flight training programme. Shrikant also got another piece of good news, this time, from some cadet pilots. He realised that one could pursue a career in aviation without having to join the Air Force (as opposed to his earlier understanding).
23/06/15 Suraj Viswanathan/Motoroids