Touching the sky with glory: Haryana, Punjab lads top course at Air Force Academy

Tribune News Service

Vijay Mohan

Chandigarh, December 17

Cadets from Haryana and Punjab touched the sky with glory at the Air Force Academy (AFA), not only topping the Flying as well as the Ground Duty streams in the course that was commissioned as IAF officers on Sunday, but also carrying forward martial family legacies and demonstrating individual grit.

Flying Officer Atul Prakash from the Flying branch won the President’s Plaque and Chief of the Air Staff Sword of Honour for standing first in the order of merit in the Pilots Course and being adjudged as the overall best cadet, while Flying Officer Amrinder Jit Singh of the Accounts Branch was awarded the President’s Plaque for standing overall first amongst the Ground Duty branches.

Hailing from Jind in Haryana, Atul is an alumnus of the Military School, Belagavi. Carrying forward the legacy of a brave family, this second generation officer proved his mettle by taking on challenging roles and responsibilities, according to AFA officers. They described him as “a born leader full of courage and conviction” and performing to the highest standards of training.

For Punjab’s Flying Officer Amrinder Jit Singh, it has been a chequered journey in the Blues, from serving as an airman for 16 years in be the topper amongst his peers IAF much younger to him. At 36 years, he has proved that age is just a number and it is the will and determination that propels the vision of an individual.

The Combined Graduation Parade at AFA, Dundigal near Hyderabad, witnessed the culmination of training of 213 Flight Cadets, including 25 women, from various branches of the Air Force. Eight officers from the Indian Navy, nine from the Indian Coast Guard and two from friendly countries also passed out alongside.

The parade was reviewed by the Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, who awarded the newly commissioned officers their shoulder stripes denoting the rank of Flyting Officer, and pinned wings and brevets on the chests of those from the Flying Branch.

Amongst them was Flying Officer Mewa Singh, who is “Following his family legacy and fulfilling a dream”. A third generation soldier in family and the first officer from his village near Bathinda in Punjab. His grandfather had fought in the Second World War and his uncle had served in the Indian Army.

For Flying Officer Lata Kaushik, who became the first commissioned Air Force officer from her village near Jhajjar in Haryana, it has been ‘patience and perseverance’. After previously missing the crucial spot in the merit list, she entered the Air Force Academy with vengeance in January 23, securing the 2nd all-India rank to finally realize her dream.

Flying Officer Ryan Henriques received the “Best in Flying” trophy while Flying Officer Tanya Singh was declared the best in Navigation. Flying Officer Shubham Sharma was adjudged the best in Administration branch and Flying Officer Ashish Kumar, best in Logistics branch.

In his address, Rajnath stressed that striking a balance between tradition and innovation to keep pace with constantly-evolving times was crucial. While asking officers to give due importance to tradition in the Armed Forces, terming it as time-tested; he pointed out that if tradition is followed for a long time without thinking, then a state of inertia or ossification occurs in the system, a situation that needs to be avoided.

“If we follow only tradition, we will be like a dead lake. We need to be like a flowing river. For that, we will have to bring in innovation along with tradition. Keep flying and touch greater heights, but maintain your connection with the ground,” he said. “Don’t lose your openness to new thinking, new ideas and your idealism under any circumstances,” the defence minister asserted.

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