Brought up in Dubai, A’isha had lofty career goals – she first wanted to be an astronaut, and then a pilot. But as she grew older, she realised that getting an education in aviation was expensive. So, she thought, “If I can’t fly an aircraft, maybe I can learn how it flies.”
She told her parents she wanted to be an aeronautical engineer, but they were concerned, given how taxing the curriculum is. “Even though I was fairly good in academics, my math teacher suggested that I don’t opt for it,” she recollects. But A’isha didn’t give up.
After school ended, A’isha had to move to her native place, Mangalore, where college options were limited. The college she had her eyes on, Mangalore Institute of Technology and Engineering, was very far.
“I travelled on the bus for 2 hours every day, but when I arrived at college for the first time, it was all worth it!”
Nearly every relative of A’isha had an opinion based on a preponderance of guys in aeronautics, “They wouldn’t understand the weight of what I was doing, and those who did thought I was better suited for more ‘feminine’ streams.”
The years of her study demanded a lot of physical lab work. There was no exposure or opportunities for aeronautics in Mangalore; she’d have to travel to Bangalore for her internship. “There were some subjects that kept me up at night, but I found great mentors who held my hand throughout.”
In 2018, A’isha landed a job at an international airline as a Material Service Manager, right after her final year. “I was happy to have found a job in core engineering on the get-go!” At 24, A’isha is an aerospace engineer working with aircraft and component manufacturers, ensuring the reliability of 130 airlines all over the world. She manages material inventory which deals with engine parts and travels extensively for workshop visits.
Knowing what it takes to follow one’s ambitions, A’isha urges young girls to gauge their capabilities and believe in themselves, “If you’re confident that you can deal with curveballs no matter how hard it gets, no one can stop you.”
Mahindra salutes the courage and dedication of people like A’isha, who inspire us to reach for the sky. #PeopleWhoRise
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