Who became the first female pilot commissioned in the Indian Navy?

Introduction / Context:
Breaking gender barriers in the armed forces is a significant milestone in any country. The Indian Navy, like the other wings of the armed forces, has gradually opened more roles to women officers. One such historic step was the induction of the first woman as a pilot in the Indian Navy. This question checks knowledge of recent defence related achievements by Indian women.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The post mentioned is that of a pilot in the Indian Navy.- The question focuses on the first woman to achieve this position.- Several names of Indian women are listed, some of whom are known from other defence achievements.

Concept / Approach:
To answer correctly, aspirants must distinguish between different branches of the armed forces and between various aviation milestones. For example, Avani Chaturvedi is associated with the Indian Air Force as a woman fighter pilot, whereas this question is about the Indian Navy. Remembering that Shubhangi Swaroop became the first woman pilot of the Indian Navy helps in avoiding confusion between parallel achievements in different services.

Step-by-Step Solution:
- Step 1: Identify that the role is specifically a pilot in the Indian Navy, not the Air Force or Army Aviation.- Step 2: Recall news reports that mentioned Sub Lieutenant Shubhangi Swaroop as the first woman pilot of the Indian Navy.- Step 3: Compare the names in the options with this memory.- Step 4: Recognise that Avani Chaturvedi is associated with the Indian Air Force, not the Navy.- Step 5: Conclude that Shubhangi Swaroop is the correct choice.

Verification / Alternative check:
An alternative check is to group achievements by service. Avani Chaturvedi, Mohana Singh and Bhawana Kanth were among the first women fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force. By contrast, Shubhangi Swaroop name appears in news when the Navy first inducted women into pilot roles. Remembering these groupings and approximate years, around the middle of the last decade, reinforces that Shubhangi Swaroop belongs to the Navy milestone.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Ritu Kumari and Garima Sharma are not associated in major news sources with being the first woman pilot of the Indian Navy.Rakhi Kumari is also not recorded as holding this particular first in defence aviation.Avani Chaturvedi is a genuine aviation pioneer, but in the Indian Air Force, where she became one of the first women fighter pilots, not in the Navy.

Common Pitfalls:
The main pitfall is mixing up different first time milestones among the three services, especially because they occurred in close time frames and all involved women aviators. Another mistake is to pick the most familiar name, such as Avani Chaturvedi, without reading the service branch specified in the question. Careful reading and organised notes for Army, Navy and Air Force achievements help prevent such errors.

Final Answer:
The first female pilot in the Indian Navy is Shubhangi Swaroop.