For women like Jeena Lingden, parliament's decision to reserve 33 percent of government jobs for women was nothing new. Even without that legislation Nepali women have being making inroads into professions traditionally reserved for men. Indeed, civil aviation in Nepal is at the forefront of gender equality with five women air traffic controllers in Kathmandu and more than 10 pilots and co-pilots.

Jeena grew up in Panchthar in eastern Nepal and wanted to fly ever since she was a school girl. Assisted by a father who gave her moral support, Jeena never let go of her passion to be a pilot.

"I'm really proud of myself," Jeena tells us from the cockpit of the Yet Airlines Twin Otter that she has just piloted into Kathmandu, "not just as a pilot, but because I know I am helping Nepal." When she is not ferrying tourists to Lukla and Phaplu, Jeena flies much-needed food supplies to dirt airstrips in Nepal's remote western regions.

Jeena Lingden represents a new generation of Nepali women: confident, passionate and imbued with a sense that her commitment to her country goes beyond just her job. And it is not just Jeena who has got over people who are shocked to find a woman in the flight deck, she says Nepali passengers are no longer as surprised as they used to be to see female pilots. "It's become quite common nowadays," she explains.

Just like Jeena was inspired to be a pilot after reading a newspaper article about Nepal's first woman pilot, Rakshya Rana, there is no saying how many other little girls across Nepal she is inspiring to become pilots, doctors, engineers or even politicians.

Watching Jeena, it is clear she doesn't consider herself just a pilot. She talks to passengers and sets them at ease, sometimes helping the cabin attendant as she does her walk-around pre-flight inspection. Jeena also sets aside a part of her income to help needy children go to school in her village in Panchthar. She says: "I want to give other girls like me the same opportunity I had so that they can realise their dreams. If I hadn't been a pilot, I'd have been a teacher."

Kumar Shrestha