Haryana lad bags ‘Sword of Honour’ at Air Force Academy

Vijay Mohan
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 20

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Another youngster from Haryana has done the state proud by winning the sword of honour for the passing out course at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal, on Saturday. Flying Officer Anurag Nain, who stood first in the order of merit in his batch, has been commissioned into the IAF’s Flying Branch.

While the IAF officially declined to release state-wise details of the passing out cadets, a senior IAF officer told The Tribune that Fg Offr Nain belongs to Hisar, but has studied in Delhi. He has also been an NCC cadet. He also President’s Plaque for standing first in overall order of merit in the Pilots’ Course.

Flying Officer Aanchal Gangwal was awarded President’s Plaque for being first in overall order of merit in the Ground Duty Branch.

Nain is the second person from the region to have topped his respective pre-commission training course in a service academy. Last week Lt Akashdeep Singh Dhillon from Punjab and an alumnus of the Sainik School, Kapurthala was awarded the Sword of Honour while passing out from the Indian Military Academy, Dehrudun.

There have been several instances in the past where cadets from Haryana have been awarded the Sword of Honour in various service academies, besides bagging other awards.

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria was the reviewing officer of the Combined Graduation Parade. He formally conferred the President’s Commission on 123 Flight Cadets as well as awarded ‘Wings’ to 11 officers from the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard.

Of the newly-commissioned officers, 61 joined the Flying Branch with 62 being inducted into various Ground Duty Branches of the IAF.

This included 19 women officers. Two cadets from Vietnam Air Force also successfully completed their flying training at AFA and were presented their ‘Wings’ by the reviewing officer.

According to protocols devised because of the COVID-19 pandemic the newly commissioned officers will not get the customary leave to go home, but proceed directly to their place of posting or for the next leg of their training to another IAF establishment. Parents and relatives of the officers could also not attend the passing out parade for the same reason.