Indian-origin Flight Lieutenant Arshdeep Singh Dang, 28, has made history by becoming the first Sikh to attain fighter wings in Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) since World War II.Dang graduated as a fighter pilot during a fast-jet pilot ceremony at RAF Valley in North Wales on August 14, marking a significant milestone for the Sikh community and people of Indian origin in the UK.The RAF said Dang was the first Sikh trainee to graduate on the Texan aircraft at its 4 Flying Training School under the UK Military Flying Training System.Who is Arshdeep Singh Dang?Born in Chandigarh in 1998, Dang moved to the UK with his family when he was six. His father, Jagdeep Singh Dang, is from Ludhiana, while his mother, Gagandeep Kaur, is from Amritsar. The family is based in Southall, England.Dang studied mathematics and philosophy at the University of Bristol before completing officer training in February 2022. He underwent elementary flying training in 2023 and, after serving in Cyprus, was selected for the RAF’s fast-jet stream in 2024.His advanced training continued through 2025. He began fast-jet lead-in training in March 2025, moved to basic fast-jet training in July and was sent solo to Texas in October. He passed his wings test in July 2026.Dang will now undergo another year of intensive training before progressing to frontline fighter aircraft.Family dream behind his historic journeySpeaking to The Indian Express, Dang said his ambition was inspired by a dream his paternal grandfather, Sardar Santokh Singh Dang, had for his father.“It was my paternal grandfather Sardar Santokh Singh Dang’s dream that my father should be a pilot,” he said, adding that his parents encouraged him to believe that becoming a pilot was possible.Dang also credited his Sikh upbringing and family support for helping him through difficult stages of training. He said Punjabi remained the language spoken at home and that the concept of “chardi kalan”, or maintaining a positive and resilient spirit, helped him during challenging flights.“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,” said Dang.