Air Force Day: Grand Demonstration Marched On IAF’s 91st Anniversary, Flag Changed After 72 Years

Prayagraj: The Indian Air force added another feather in their cap, on their 91st anniversary which was witnessed by lakhs of people at the confluence of Ganga-Yamuna also witnessed the Air Force Day on Sunday . The Air Force flag was changed after 72 years, Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal VR Choudhary changed the flag during the parade and also administered the oath to the air warriors.

The celebration started in morning where women Officer Group Captain Shailja Dhami commanded the parade at the Air Force Station in Bamrauli, Prayagraj, after which the grand demonstration started on the 91st anniversary of the Indian Air Force, the sky echoed with applause.  The parade started at 7:40. After which team of paratroopers jumped into the air from a height of 8000 feet.

Later Group Captain Shailja Dhami was given the responsibility of commanding the parade, . in which total of 40 women participated in this parade. Out of these, 31 are women Agni Veer contingent. For the first time, Agni Veer has also been included in any parade. A total of 361 air warriors have participated in the parade.

Helicopter pilot Dhami had created history earlier this year as she became the first woman to command a frontline IAF combat unit in March. Presently, she commands a missile squadron in the western sector. Dhami was commissioned into the Indian Air Force in 2003 and is a qualified flying instructor. She has logged over 2,800 flying hours to date.

For the first time the parade had an all-women contingent, including newly inducted Agniveer Vayu, who marched shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. The parade also included a Garuda Commando flight for the first time. To promote gender equality, the Indian Air Force and Navy have allowed women officers to join special forces units within their ranks, such as the Garuda Commando Force and Marine Commandos, provided they meet the selection criteria.

Air show started at 2:50 pm in Sangam area. During this, two Chinook helicopters under formation Bhishma demonstrated over the Sangam. After this, ten soldiers of Akash Ganga team jumped down from an AN-32 aircraft from a height of about eight thousand feet. Who descended through tricolor and other colored parachutes. This time Chetak, Kiran Mk II, Jaguar, ALH Mk III, LCH, Apache will be performing.

Then there was a display of the vintage aircraft Tigermoth, Howard. Aircraft like Dakota, Pilatus, C-295, C-130, AN-32, DO-228, AEW&C, MiG-29, IL-76, M2K, Rafale, Sukhoi, Jaguar, Tejas, LCA etc. were displayed. Sarang team also create heart piercing arrows, diamonds in the sky. Before this, members of Akash Ganga team also descend through parachute in the parade followed by march past of air warriors on the army band.

Garuda recently completed 20 years of service to the nation. During the parade, four units of the Indian Air Force namely 16 Squadron, 142 Helicopter Unit, 901 Signal Unit and 3 Base Repair Depot will also be awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation for their exemplary contribution to the Central Air Command.

ALH Dhruv helicopter of the Indian Army and a P-81 aircraft of the Navy also participated. The famous display teams of the Air Force, Surya Kiran and Sarang participated in the demonstration. The C-295 transport aircraft, which recently joined the Air Force, made its first appearance in any air display in India. Meanwhile, the MiG-21 Bison made its last appearance in an aerial display today, ahead of its planned phase out by 2025.

Since morning, those people who could not walk much reached the parade ground. People came forward after lobbying and sat in the sun four and a half hours before the start of the event. When the crowd started increasing at the Sangam at 12 noon, the police started stopping vehicles at CMP and Sohbatiyabagh. The mercury was beyond 36 degrees, but people’s enthusiasm kept increasing. Some carried an umbrella and some carried a towel over their head and proceeded on foot.

The caravan became such that the seven kilometer confluence was not far away, it seemed just a step away. On Sunday the police system also got failed after the air show, ambulances and army officers were stuck for hours in the uncontrollable crowd. Due to the crowd, there was a traffic jam in the entire city. Only crowds were visible on the roads.

Roads from Shantipuram, Phaphamau, Arail, Naini to Civil Lines were jam-packed. In view of the crowd the traffic was stopped. Vehicular traffic was stopped on the new Yamuna Bridge and Shastri Bridge. The roads were jam-packed from Naini to Civil Lines.

In view of the crowd the traffic was stopped. Vehicular traffic was stopped on the new Yamuna Bridge and Shastri Bridge. The roads were jam-packed from Naini to Civil Lines. In view of the crowd the traffic was stopped. Traffic was stopped on the new Yamuna Bridge and Shastri Bridge.