Barkha Pathania

About Barkha Pathania

Senior aviation safety leader with 25 years of experience, currently Deputy General Manager – SMS with flight safety team.Certified executive coach and ISB India Executive Prestige Program graduate, with proven expertise in SMS, risk, compliance, and organizational safety culture. Actively preparing for DGCA Safety Manager Postholder responsibilities, combining operational insight with strategic leadership.I have built a career on transforming safety culture, driving regulatory compliance, and aligning safety with organizational strategy — combining my operational roots as Cabin Crew Director (Postholder) – Inflight Services at Jet Airways with my expertise in enterprise safety management. Recently, I completed the India Executive Prestige Program at the Indian School of Business (ISB), which has further enhanced my leadership, strategic thinking, and organizational transformation capabilities. This milestone complements my certifications in Intelligent Leadership Coaching (John Mattone), Everything DiSC, FQ15+, Franklin Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, DDI Managerial Development Programme, and several advanced aviation safety, auditing, and investigation programs.I bring a unique perspective to aviation safety — not from a pilot or engineering background, but from a people-centric, operations-driven lens. This allows me to bridge human factors, leadership, and organizational culture with the technical demands of SMS, making safety a driver of both resilience and performance. As a thought leader, I have spoken at IATA Cabin Safety Conferences (2018, 2019), represented Indian aviation on safety culture, and actively participated in international forums such as IATA, MIAL, and global safety seminars. My work includes creating Jet Airways’ Cabin Safety function, executing safety seminars, and contributing to DGCA recertifications and IOSA preparations. Core Expertise & Skills:Safety Management System (SMS) Implementation, Assurance & PromotionDGCA/ICAO/IOSA Compliance, Risk Assessment & Hazard IdentificationSafety Investigations, Quality Assurance & AuditsLeadership Coaching, Training & Organizational Culture TransformationCabin Crew Operations, Customer Experience & Postholder AccountabilityBoard-Level Safety Presentations & Industry Engagement

Experience

1. Deputy General Manager - Safety Management System(Sms)

   Akasa Air

   Apr 2024 — Present · Mumbai, IN

Education

• Indian School of Business

  India Prestige Leaders Program

• Maitreyi college, delhi university

  Bachelors of commerce

• Delhi University

  Bachelor's Degree

  1996 — 1999