Captain Jayati Mukherjee

Motihari, March 7: The illustrious career of the first female paratrooper and a glider pilot of the Indian Army, a daughter of this district, has become an inspiration for the young girls of Motihari.

Captain Jayati Mukherjee became an epitome of women’s liberation, not by delivering speeches or coining slogans, rather she chose to do it by setting examples for others to emulate. She showed exemplary courage and bravery in the 1971 India-Pakistan war.

The third child of Lambodar and Usha Rani Mukherjee, Jayati had a very interesting childhood. Both her parents were freedom fighters. In 1941, she was born in the female ward of Bhagalpur Central Jail, where her mother was jailed. Her parents named her Bandini because she was born in jail but she was later renamed Jayati.

Debpriya Mukherjee, the youngest brother of Jayati, settled here, told The Telegraph: “Our mother was the maternal granddaughter of the great freedom fighter Jatin Mukherjee (Bagha Jatin) of the erstwhile Bengal. Jatin had always been a source of inspiration for Jayati.”

Recounting Jayati’s childhood days, her other brother, Debashish, said: “Right from childhood, Jayati used to talk of women’s liberation and that played a major factor behind her decision to become a paratrooper.”

Jayati was the first female paratrooper of the Indian Army and the third in the country. She made a record 150 air jumps in her service career, her brother added. She completed her schooling in Motihari and MBBS from Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital.

He said: “A sportsperson by instinct, Jayati was selected in the Indian Army through Short Service Commission in 1966. During her training she opted to become a paratrooper. Her excellent service career, particularly during the India-Pakistan war in 1971 earned her the admiration of Field Marshall SHFJ Manekshaw.

Jayati is now settled in Houston in England after marriage.