An Indian Hajj flight flown exclusively by an all-female crew and carrying only female pilgrim passengers has made history after it reached Saudi Arabia from the southern state of Kerala, authorities said on Friday.
An Air India Express flight carrying 145 female pilgrims arrived in Jeddah on Thursday night from Kozhikode, India. Captain Kanika Mehra and First Officer Garima Passi piloted the flight, while the passengers were attended to by four female crew members.
Indian Minority Affairs State Minister John Barla handed over boarding passes to the pilgrims at the airport, and Kerala Hajj Committee Chairman C Mohammed Faizi expressed his pride in this achievement.
These women are part of a group of 4,000 Indian pilgrims who will independently undertake the Hajj pilgrimage to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah this year. This change comes after Saudi Arabia lifted the requirement for female pilgrims to be accompanied by a male guardian, prompting India to modify its Hajj policy.
The majority of the pilgrims in the “Ladies Without Mehram” category are from Kerala, with approximately 2,000 women participating without a male guardian. Faizi attributed this high number to the state’s education level and the prevalence of women traveling to the Middle East to visit their relatives employed there.
Kerala also stands out with a higher percentage of female Hajj pilgrims compared to other Indian states, with women constituting 60% of the total pilgrims. With a population of 35 million, Kerala has a significant Muslim population, accounting for about one-fourth of the state’s residents.
Out of India’s quota of 175,000, around 11,000 Muslims from Kerala will perform the Hajj pilgrimage this year, and approximately 60% of them will be women.
The successful operation of this all-women Hajj flight marks a significant milestone in the Indian government’s efforts to promote gender equality and empower women in their religious journeys.