- Friday, April 26, 2024
By: Shubham Ghosh
INDIA’S civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday (13) issued a clarification on reports of Adam Harry, the country’s first transgender pilot from the southern state of Kerala, who has been declared “unfit” by the former body on medical grounds.
In a statement, the DGCA said Harry has never been denied a commercial pilot’s license. It said there is no restriction on transgender people on obtaining a license, subject to the individual ensuring compliance with relevant provisions of age, educational qualifications, medical fitness and knowledge experience, among others, as mentioned in Aircraft Rules, 1937.
Transman pilot Adam Harry had to be his own wind beneath his wings after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation allegedly refused his medical clearance. pic.twitter.com/eOpe9an2nJ
— Brut India (@BrutIndia) July 7, 2022
The DGCA’s statement is undersigned by YS Dahiya, group captain, Directorate of Medical Services (Civil Aircrew).
Harry has been fighting the aviation regulator which has been accused of showing transphobia to deny him a commercial pilot’s license in India. The 23-year-old has private pilot license from South Africa and wants to become a commercial pilot in India. But the DGCA has reportedly refused to grant him clearance since he is on hormone therapy, The News Minute reported. Adam, who works as a delivery person and does other things for a livelihood, is also planning to move the judiciary against the DGCA. Speaking to The Quint recently, Harry said he is permitted to fly in countries such as the US, UK and South Africa but not in India. He said he was being discriminated against to get a job, his fundamental right.
He also received support on social media and medical experts who said it was a case of discrimination.
The government of Kerala also came to the aid of Harry with its social justice department sanctioning an amount of Rs 23.34 lakh (£24,655) to support his training cost, CNBCB TV18 reported.
While medical fitness remains a top criterion for obtaining a license, transgender people can be issued a fit medical assessment provided there are no associated medical, psychiatric, or psychological conditions. The use of hormonal replacement therapy is not disqualifying if the applicant has no adverse symptoms or reactions. However, flying duties are not permitted while the dose of hormonal treatment is being stabilised or until an adequate physiological response has been achieved and the dose no longer needs changing, the DGCA said in its statement.
[With agency inputs]
