Prez Murmu reviews graduation parade, confers awards at Air Force Academy

President Droupadi Murmu reviewed a Combined Graduation Parade held at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal in Hyderabad on Saturday.

To mark the successful culmination of the training of 194 Flight Cadets of the Flying and Ground Duty branches of the Indian Air Force, a Combined Graduation Parade was held at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal in Hyderabad.

President Droupadi Murmu was the Reviewing Officer (RO) of the Parade.

The President commissioned the Graduating Flight Cadets. The Graduating Officers included 39 women officers who got commissioned in various branches of the IAF.

On this occasion, eight officers from the Indian Navy, eight officers from the Indian Coast Guard and two from Vietnam People's Air Force were also awarded Wings, on successful completion of their flying training.

The Reviewing Officer was earlier received by Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Chief of the Air Staff.

The President was presented with a Rashtriya Salute by the Parade which later marched past the dais in impeccable order. The highlight of the Parade was the 'Commissioning Ceremony' and the administering of the Oath by Commandant Air Marshal B Chandra Sekhar of the Academy.

The Parade was interspersed by well-coordinated and synchronized flypasts by Pilatus PC-7 Mk II, Dornier, Hawk, Kiran and Chetak aircraft.

The President also gave away various awards to the trainees who excelled in different disciplines of training. Flying Officer Nitesh Jakhar from the Flying branch was awarded the President's Plaque and Chief of the Air Staff 'Sword of Honour' for standing first in the overall order of merit in the Pilots' Course.

Flying Officer Manisha Yadav was awarded the President's Plaque for standing first in the overall order of merit amongst the Ground Duty branches.

The RO complemented the graduating officers for their impeccable turnout and displayed an exceptional standard of drill in the parade and congratulated them for their successful completion of training at the Academy. The RO also congratulated the award winners and the trainees from friendly foreign countries.

The Reviewing officer praised the IAF for the great role played in defending the country in the wars of 1948, 1965, 1971 and the Kargil conflict, demonstrating professionalism, dedication and self-sacrifice.

The RO further appreciated the contribution of the IAF in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief in India and abroad.

The President also appreciated the IAF's ability to absorb technology at a rapid pace which is essential for defence preparedness at land, sea and air. The RO further urged each and every officer of the armed forces to keep in mind an integrated perspective of defence preparedness.

The RO acknowledged the IAF's alignment to the national vision of 'Atma-Nirbhar Bharat' and its indigenisation efforts and further complimented the IAF for keeping pace with technology-driven warfare and evolving into a network-centric force and appreciated the induction of women officers in all roles and branches.

The president also narrated her exhilarating experience of flying in a SU-30 MKI fighter aircraft at Air Force Station Tezpur in Apr 2023.

The RO urged the newly commissioned officers to be ready to face new challenges and imbibe the spirit of the IAF's motto i.e. 'Touch the sky with glory'.

The ceremony culminated with the newly Commissioned Officers receiving their first salute from their immediate juniors while marching out, in two columns in slow march, to the traditional notes of 'Anandaloke' by Rabindranath Tagore.

A scintillating aerobatic show by Pilatus aircraft, synchronous aerobatic displays by a Helicopter display team 'Sarang', 'Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team' and SU-30 MKI formed the grand finale of the Combined Graduation Parade.