From Kabaddi Fields to Cockpit Seats | Breaking the Pattern: The Making of a Flyboy

In the places where I grew up, people did not grow up dreaming about cockpits.

Most young people aimed for the Army, government jobs, or family businesses. Aviation was something we saw high in the sky for a few seconds and then forgot.

No one in my family was a pilot. No one around me worked in aviation. There was no clear roadmap.

And honestly, I was not the typical topper student either. I was an average student, but on the playground I was different. I was a national level Kabaddi player, spending more time on the field than inside classrooms.

I belong to Haryana, where most career paths traditionally revolve around the defense forces. In my extended family too, people were mostly in BSF, the Army, private jobs, or business.

Aviation was never even discussed.

Within nearly two hundred to three hundred kilometers around my region, there was hardly anyone connected to aviation.

I completed my schooling in Bharuch, Gujarat, where aviation exposure was also very limited.

But sometimes the absence of examples pushes you to become one.

“Aviation/Life- moving without clearance only leads to conflict.”

During school I often wondered whether someone like me could actually become a pilot.

But when I researched aviation, I realized something important. Pilot training introduces completely new subjects, and everyone starts learning them from the beginning.

So I focused on my passion and committed myself fully.

Eventually I cleared all my DGCA examinations in one attempt, proving to myself that passion matters more than labels like average student.

When I told my family about my dream, something emotional came up.

My elder sister had once wanted to join aviation, but due to family circumstances she could not pursue it.

Instead of discouraging me, she supported me fully and said something that stayed with me.

“If I could not do it, you must.”

That moment turned my dream into something bigger than just my own goal.

After completing Class 12th during the Covid batch, I moved to Delhi to begin my DGCA ground classes.

During that time I met mentors who shaped my journey in the best possible way. My instructor guided me not only through the subjects but also through the mindset required for aviation.

I consider him not just an instructor but a mentor and guru, and I remain deeply grateful for his guidance.

I began my flying training in late 2022.

One of the early milestones came sooner than expected. While most students achieved their first solo between twenty to thirty hours, I achieved mine at nineteen hours.

But the most special part of my journey came next.

I completed my CPL flying training in just nine months, 2023.

In India this timeline is not common, and it remains one of the achievements I am most proud of. A lot of credit goes to my instructor whose mentorship made a huge difference.

“Aviation is full of lessons that aren’t in any syllabus.”

After completing my CPL, I went on to complete my Boeing 737 type rating in 2023.

At just twenty years old, stepping into jet training felt surreal.

Eventually I joined a charter operation in India as a First Officer, turning a childhood curiosity into a real profession.

“What I’ve learned being a pilot patience is part of your checklist.”

One of the most emotional moments of my journey came when I returned home to Gujarat after completing my type rating.

A news channel came to our house for an interview, and seeing my parents smiling with pride was something I will never forget.

Later I was also honored by the Bharuch administration and the Government of Gujarat, making the moment even more special for my family.

The pilot uniform carries a unique identity.

For me it represents transformation.

From Choudhary Sourabh, a boy who once looked at airplanes with curiosity, to someone people now recognize as Flyboy.

Because dreams are not limited by geography, background, or school marks, You can be an average student.

You can come from a place where no one has ever become a pilot and still reach the cockpit.

What matters most is:

• belief

• discipline

• mentorship

• persistence

“The best aviators aren’t fearless; they’re focused.”