The Man With Wings: Capt Rohanneet Singh Raina redefines aviation in J&K

Most people have been made to walk on Earth, but Captain Rohanneet Singh Raina is not ‘most people’. Born with wings, Captain Raina firmly set his gaze on conquering the limitless skies at an early age.

A wide-eyed Rohanneet, who has always been enamored by the aircrafts that flew overhead, moved to Canada in 2010 at just 18 years old. Not letting culture shock get in the way, he quickly acclimated to his new surroundings. It was there that his love for flying blossomed into a serious profession.

Flying is nothing but ‘science in action’ affirmed young Rohanneet as he picked up his books and started his pursuit of training at flying school at Vancouver, Canada. The adrenaline of his hand on the throttle and hearing the engine roar was enough to hook him. He completed his training with the exemplary feat of achieving solo flying in merely 17 hours. It was no surprise then that he acquired his Private Pilot License in Canada. This jump started his career as a professional in Civil Aviation. He went on to be recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States of America along with receiving his Commercial Pilot License in India. The journey since has been nothing short of inspirational.

In 2018, while the economic downturn hit the aviation industry hard, Capt Rohanneet’s acumen within the civil aviation industry and people-first personality caught the attention of Jammu and Kashmir based entrepreneurs who offered him the chance to act as the Chief Executive Officer of Kashmir Air Services (KAS). To say his professional life had come full circle is an understatement.

Propelled by a combination of talent and support from his family and friend, Captain Rohanneet Singh Raina took exploring new horizons to new heights by becoming Jammu and Kashmir’s first person to obtain approval for an initial NOC for non-scheduled operator permit from the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Roaring with success, he continued on to position KAS as a J&K-based aviation giant, by purchasing a Piper Seneca PA-34. The twin-engine aircraft with a seating capacity of six from Chimes Aviation Academy in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, an acclaimed pilot training institute of India, put KAS in the big leagues.

Even with all these feathers in his cap, Captain Rohanneet Singh Raina humbly attributes his successes to those around him, especially the women in his life. Living under the same roof as his maternal grandmother in Delhi, Capt Rohanneet chimes fondly about the influence she has had on his life. His mother, who lives in Jammu, and his sister who lives in the UAE are also his sources of inspiration. For every new height he has achieved, he praised the contribution of Chimes Aviation Academy’s CEO Captain YN Sharma, GM Operations Rohit Sharma and Team expressing a special thanks for all the hard work they have done in furthering the aspirations of not only those interested in aviation but also the evolution of the industry itself.

While Captain Rohanneet’s story is one of success, it is not bereft of stumbling road blocks. This is a fact that he takes on the chin. Taking constructive criticism and learning from your mistakes is something he strongly advocates for. “Once we have set our minds on achieving something, we will always succeed in that,” he says, adding that he is always available to help support people in whatever capacity he can.

Watch Take One Exclusive Conversation with Capt Rohanneet Singh Raina to learn more about his journey in his own words

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