Kerala: Denied nod to fly, India’s first transgender pilot told to take fresh medical test

Anantha Narayanan K / TNN / Updated: Jul 14, 2022, 09:36 IST

KOCHI: The Centre has intervened in a row over denial of flying permission for India’s first transgender pilot, resulting in the the aviation regulator now allowing the Kerala native to “obtain a fresh medical assessment”.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) sent Adam Harry an email on Wednesday asking for the “medical procedures” to be completed. The move came two days after a July 11 letter from the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment to the aviation regulator, calling its earlier denial of a private pilot licence to Harry “discriminatory”.

In 2019, Harry had applied for the medical clearance of DGCA so that his PPL, secured from South Africa, could be converted under DGCA standards to enable him to join the course at Rajiv Gandhi Academy for Aviation Technology in Thiruvananthapuram. However, DGCA blocked his request on grounds of gender dysphoria (the dissonance between his or her biological sex and gender identity) and hormone replacement therapy.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/dgca-to-rethink-tran...