Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday exhorted the newly commissioned officers of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to give due importance to the time-tested tradition in the Armed Forces while maintaining openness towards new ideas, innovative thinking and idealism. 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 and stressed that to avoid this situation and keep pace with the constantly-evolving times, there is a need to innovate.
“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 while urging them to strike a balance between tradition and innovation, describing it as extremely crucial.
Rajnath Singh was addressing the 213 Flight Cadets of the flying and ground duty branches of the Indian Air Force (IAF) during the Combined Graduation Parade (CGP) held at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal in Telangana. The Union Minister had reviewed the parade and also conferred the President’s Commission on the graduating Flight Cadets.
Singh was presented with a General Salute by the parade followed by the march past and the ‘Commissioning Ceremony’ in which graduating Flight Cadets were awarded their ‘Stripes’. The graduating officers were then administered the ‘Oath’ by the Commandant of the Academy. The CGP was interspersed by a synchronised fly-past by trainer aircraft that comprised Pilatus PC-7 Mk II, Hawk and Kiran, along with Chetak helicopters, The Ministry of Defence informed.
Rajnath Singh also bestowed various awards on trainees who excelled in various disciplines of training. Flying Officer Atul Prakash 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 Amrinder Jeet Singh was awarded the President’s Plaque for standing first in the overall order of merit amongst the ground duty branches.
The Parade culminated with the newly commissioned officers marching-out in two columns in slow march to the notes of Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Anandaloke’. An enthralling aerobatic show by Su-30MKI, synchronous aerobatics by the helicopter display team ‘Sarang’, and ‘SuryaKiran’ Aerobatic Team marked the grand finale of the CGP.
