The President of the Republic of Mauritius, Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun, received, this morning, the first female pilot on a solo South Africa-Mauritius round trip, Ms Pallavee Appigadoo, at the State House, in Reduit.

In a statement following the meeting, Ms. Appigadoo detailed her project, ‘Flying in the Face of Adversity’, where she flew solo across the ocean from South Africa to Mauritius in a single-engine Cessna F172P.

The pilot recounted being born with a heart condition and later diagnosed with scoliosis at age 11, both requiring life-saving surgeries in India, made possible by the support of the Society for Aid to Children Inoperable in Mauritius (S.A.C.I.M). She stressed that her journey was not only a personal challenge but also a fundraiser for S.A.C.I.M., an organization that had helped her during her health struggles, symbolising her belief that nothing is impossible.

Furthermore, Ms Appigadoo underscored that her flight demonstrated her resilience and desire to break barriers, driven by her goal to inspire others. She thus highlighted that many Mauritians and Africans often feel limited, but she hopes to show that, despite challenges, success is possible and nothing is beyond reach.

In the same vein, she announced her next major goal: a round-the-world flight to become the first Mauritian woman to achieve this milestone, a journey expected to take four to six months but according to her, fully within reach.