Indian-origin Flight Lieutenant Arshdeep Singh Dang, 28, has become the first Sikh to graduate as a fighter pilot with Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) since the Second World War.
Dang received his wings at a fast-jet pilot graduation ceremony at RAF Valley in North Wales on August 14. The RAF confirmed that he is the first Sikh to earn his wings from a fighter squadron since WWII.
For Dang, the achievement fulfils a family dream spanning generations. His paternal grandfather, Sardar Santokh Singh Dang, had wanted his son to become a pilot but died when Arshdeep’s father, Jagdeep Singh Dang, was just six.
“My grandfather died when my father was just six. So my father never really had those opportunities or resources to fulfil his wish,” Dang told The Indian Express. “My parents encouraged me, and I started to believe that I could be a pilot. And it happened.”
Born in Chandigarh in 1998, Dang moved to Britain with his parents at the age of six. His father is from Ludhiana and his mother, Gagandeep Kaur, is from Amritsar. After spending about two years at school in Mohali, he continued his education in Britain and grew up in Southall, west London.
He studied mathematics and philosophy at the University of Bristol before joining the RAF. He completed officer training in February 2022 and elementary flying training in 2023.
After serving in Cyprus, Dang was selected for fast-jet training in 2024. He began lead-in training in March 2025, followed by basic fast-jet training in July. In October 2025, he was sent to Texas, where he flew solo, before passing his wings test in July 2026. He will now undergo another year of intensive training before becoming operational on frontline fighter jets.
The only pilot of Indian origin in his graduating batch, Dang said he felt proud to represent his community. “I am privileged to represent my community on an international stage. I am the first Sikh to achieve this since World War II, but I don’t want to be the last,” he said.
Despite moving to Britain as a child, Dang said his family ensured their Punjabi and Sikh identity remained firmly rooted in their lives.
“There’s a very strict rule in our home. We speak in Punjabi to each other, and no other language is allowed in the house,” he said.
Regular visits to the gurdwara, langar and Sikh traditions helped maintain that connection. Dang also credits his mother with keeping the family grounded through financially difficult periods.
Dang’s achievement follows in the footsteps of pioneering Sikh aviators including Lieutenant Hardit Singh Malik, the “Flying Sikh”, and WWII fighter pilot Squadron Leader Mohinder Singh Pujji.
Dang hopes his achievement will encourage others to follow. “We always have a chance to create history, not just in the UK, but in the entire world,” he said.
