Malkangiri: Nothing is impossible if you have the courage, mindset and willingness to achieve your dreams. Seldomly followed by many, but those who work hard and strive for their goals, eventually become an inspiration. Anupriya Madhumita Lakra is one of them who despite all the odds went on to become the first pilot from Malkangiri district, a place which mostly grabs media attention due to Maoist menace and considered a backward area in Odisha.
Anupriya Lakra belongs to a tribal family and has certainly set an example for other tribal girls of the society. Her father Mariniyas Lakra is a Havildar in Odisha Police and mother Jaman Yasmin, a housewife.
After completing her schooling at Dipti Convent School in Malkangiri, Anupriya's family moved to Semiliguda where she completed her Plus Two at Jeevan Jyothi School.
It was during the time at an Engineering college in Bhubaneswar, Anupriya realised her dream of becoming a pilot. She left Engineering midway and took admission at Government Aviation Training Institute (GATI), Bhubaneswar, the first step she took to achieve her goal.
In 2012, Anupriya's special training started after she successfully cleared the entrance exams in Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai. Now she has been selected as a co-pilot in a private airlines and is expected to fly abroad in the near future.
Speaking about Anupriya's success, her mother said, "We feel extremely happy and proud that our daughter is a pilot now. She has brought laurels to Malkangiri district. We had to take loans to meet her study expenses. However, we did what parents should do for their children and it is because of her hard work and dedication she has become a pilot."
"It was very difficult for us to provide whatever she needed during her training period since 2012. However, we are now very happy that she achieved her goal and made us proud," says father Mariniyas.