From Zomato delivery boy to pilot: The sky-high triumph of a Kerala youth

Kodungallur (Kerala): From a Zomato delivery boy, bus conductor, lorry driver and taxi chauffeur to a mathematics teacher, Haizil Jebin has worn many hats. Today, however, he wears the uniform he always dreamed of, that of a commercial pilot. Overcoming a mountain of personal and financial obstacles, 29-year-old Jebin, a native of Eriyad near Kodungallur, has successfully completed his commercial pilot training.

Jebin’s journey is a masterclass in sheer grit and perseverance, punctuated by severe hardships, including the tragic loss of his father, who had worked as a typist in the Gulf.

The son of the late Habeeb and Safiya, an employee at the Kodungallur Munsiff Court, Jebin first dared to dream of the skies after completing his secondary education, initially wanting to become an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer. However, circumstances led him to pursue a degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering instead.

It was during the final stretch of his engineering degree that his piloting ambitions were rekindled upon seeing an Indian Armed Forces recruitment drive for graduate engineers. While he cleared several exams and rounds of interviews for various military wings, he narrowly missed out on making the final merit rank list.

Undeterred by the setback and needing to support himself, Jebin moved to Kochi after graduation, taking up a job as a food delivery partner with Zomato. Six months later, he transitioned to Bengaluru, working as a mathematics teacher for an international ed-tech firm.

Life threw another curveball when his father fell seriously ill, requiring Jebin to step away from his career to care for him. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic compounded his struggles, forcing him to quit his teaching job entirely. By the time the world began to open up again, Jebin had crossed the age limit to apply for the Indian Air Force.

Yet, he refused to let his dream die. Shifting his focus to civil aviation, Jebin enrolled in commercial pilot training. Supported by dedicated mentors, he secured a place at the FAST Aviation Academy in the Philippines.

Over the next two years, Jebin successfully completed his rigorous flight training modules. The process of converting his Philippine commercial pilot licence to an Indian licence is currently underway.

As Jebin prepares to take command of commercial airliners, his family stands proud. His brother Fasil Jebin is based in the UK, while his sister Ismina is pursuing a paramedical degree in Kochi.