The country’s aviation regulator said on Wednesday that it welcomed transgender applicants for commercial pilots licences and invited a 23-year-old transman to apply again after his application was controversially rejected, allegedly because he was undergoing hormone therapy.
The three-page note issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) paves the way for transgender people to apply for a commercial pilots licence and marks a victory for Adam Harry, a transgender man from Kerala, whose application was rejected two years ago.
“There are no restrictions on transgender people to obtain pilot’s licence and ratings; subject to the individual ensuring compliance of relevant provisions of age, educational qualifications, medical fitness, knowledge experience etc. among other things as specified in Aircraft Rules, 1937,” said the note signed by YS Dahiya, Group Captain, DMS (CA) DGCA.
