Exclusive: To infinity and beyond with Captain Zoya

Captain Zoya Agarwal is an icon that the world looks up to. That sentence is correct figuratively and in its literal sense, too. Flying high amidst the skies, the eyes of more than a billion Indians as well as those around the world, look up in awe at this rising female aviator who has several accolades to her credit. Having led from the front during the country’s Vande Bharat mission, Agarwal evacuated Indians from as many as 12 countries during the pandemic as well as entered her name into history books by becoming the first Indian pilot to fly over the North Pole, covering a record-breaking distance of 16,000 km in a non-stop 17-hour flight. 

Cosmopolitan India, in an exclusive interview, caught up with Captain Zoya to know what makes her a force to be reckoned with, and a name that every person, let alone every young girl is going to always remember. 

Cosmopolitan India: You’re a celebrated Indian pilot, having several milestone achievements and also saving someone’s life. Did you ever imagine that you’d achieve such great heights as a pilot? 

Zoya Agarwal: I never thought I’d ever be able to achieve great heights as a girl, period. I say this because I come from a world where I was not encouraged or allowed to dream of touching the skies and stars. From a girl who didn’t know English and didn’t have the means to get anywhere, to now being here just because of a dream and her sheer will to go against everything and anything that came her way is truly something that I could have never imagined. For me, this journey is not about Zoya, but about a girl who wanted to do something and the determination, grit, and resilience she showed in chasing her goal. This is the message I want to give every single girl out there. It’s about a little girl achieving what she wants and doing what she wants to do.  

Cosmo India: You fly planes, but what gives wings to your soul? And what does flying mean to you?

Zoya Agarwal: I think it’s the fire that I have inside me to continue chasing my goals. I never say no, or take no for an answer. No matter if my circumstances are against me, I never yield. I always keep going. I get up from my failures and think about the bigger picture and keep flying higher and higher. I’ve always felt that this is not my journey. I feel that I am mentoring more than half a million kids out there, who are looking up to me. They know that if this girl can, and reach wherever she is today, so can we. Knowing that I can change the course of someone’s life, that’s what keeps me going. 

Cosmo India: How often do you fly and what is the first thing you do when you reach home?

Zoya Agarwal: Hug my mom. Honestly, I visit the nearby temple and seek the almighty’s blessings. Whenever I’m in New Delhi, I go to the temple every Tuesday. I don’t think I go there, God calls me. I have two very important belief systems—you are nobody without your blessings, and you are nobody without the blessings combined with hard work. Blessings for me are from the almighty. Everyone works hard, but blessings are what make you walk on the path of success along with your hard work. 

Cosmo India: What does your uniform mean to you? 

Zoya Agarwal: My uniform is my pride, my joy, and a testimony to the fact that I represent my country. 

Cosmo India: When not in uniform, what is your style like? 

Zoya Agarwal: Oh, I’m a complete doll who loves to wear girly things. When I don’t get the time to dress up, I’m in sportswear, but I love dressing up. I love to be a girly girl. My nails are all coloured in different shades (shows her nails on the video call). The guy (at the salon) asked me which colour I wanted and I said ‘use them all’. Life is too dull without colours. 

Cosmo India: Who, according to you, contributed to being the confident person that you are?

Zoya Agarwal: The eight-year-old me. As I kid, I didn’t even have the courage to go on in life. My surroundings were extremely conservative. I used to talk to myself when I looked at the stars. I’m the only child so I was my best friend. I used to ask myself and wonder how I would chase my dreams. This eight-year-old Zoya told me that nothing is impossible. She kept telling me, ‘You can do it, just believe in yourself. Do not give up. Give it your 100%.’ She’s still my best friend, my motivator. Even today, when I doubt myself, she steps in and pushes me. She’s the wind beneath my wings after God and my parents. 

Cosmo India: How do you keep calm in high-stress situations? 

Zoya Agarwal: I smile, and say ‘Jai Mata Di’. We have the power and capability to either turn our world upside down or turn it around and make it successful. The power lies within us. We don’t have to go to anyone else. We have that inner voice inside us that says, ‘It’s okay. You will do it’. As long as you don’t give that power to anyone else, you will climb the highest of mountains, rather, fly to the greatest heights. 

Cosmo India: If you could pick anyone in the world, who would you like to be your co-pilot?

Zoya Agarwal: I find magic in everyone. I am someone who walks out with a smile on her face and people wonder why I am like that. So, for me, I want to fly with the entire world. The power for me is to be able to adjust to the circumstances. I have gone through many struggles and hardships where I learnt that you have to adapt to the situation and see the positive side of it. Every human being is amazing; each one of them is going through their own journey, which is why they act and react the way they do. It’s up to you to bring out the amazingness in everyone. When you say co-pilot, it means that I am the captain. So the best way to get the best out of them is to make sure that they are comfortable. I have that knack in me to see through a person and motivate them to give their 100 per cent. 

I would love to fly with a person who pushes me. To all those reading this interview, I want to tell them that you are your biggest strength and weakness. It’s all about how you want to push yourself. There is no bigger inspiration to you than yourself. There are so many role models around you, but the one who is going to help you, in the end, is you. 

Cosmo India: Which is your favourite airport in the world? Which is your favourite destination to fly to?

Zoya Agarwal: I find the whole world beautiful, but if I had to pick one, it’d have to be the San Francisco to Bengaluru flight (the 17-hour non-stop flight over the North Pole). It has a very special place in my heart. The way in which the Indian community celebrated at the airport left an indelible impact on me. The fact that an Indian girl now has a place in their museum means the world to me. 

Cosmo India: If a movie is to be made about your life, who would you like to see play you on screen?

Zoya Agarwal: A lot of have told me that I look a lot like Anushka (Sharma) or even Priyanka Chopra because she embodies the fact that we women are strong and resilient. My perspective on life is very similar to hers. I think no one has the power to say no except for yourself. I really admire her for her courage and grit to walk the talk. And I see myself on the same path to empower women towards reaching greater heights.