Begin typing your search above and press return to search.

Defence Minister to review parade at Air Force Academy

By The Assam Tribune

HYDERABAD, Dec 17: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will review the Combined Graduation Parade (CGP) at Air Force Academy (AFA) Dundigal in Telangana on December 19.

The parade, with full military splendour, will mark the successful completion of pre-commissioning training of flight cadets of various branches of Indian Air Force. Rajnath Singh will be the chief guest and reviewing officer of the passing out parade.

He will confer the President's Commission to the Graduating trainees. The ceremony includes presentation of 'Wings' and 'Brevets' to the flight cadets who would be successfully completing flying and navigation training, respectively, a defence statement said.

Rajnath Singh will also be awarding 'Wings' to officers of the Indian Navy, the Indian Coast Guard and officers from friendly foreign countries on successful completion of their flying training at Air Force Academy.

The flight cadet from flying branch standing first in the Order of Merit will be awarded with the Chief of the Air Staff Sword of Honour for excelling in overall training. The awardee will have the privilege of commanding the parade besides receiving the President's Plaque for being the best trainee. The reviewing officer will also present the President's Plaque to those who stand first in the overall merit in flying and ground duty Branches.

As a custom, on the eve of the Graduation Parade, the reviewing officer will attend the ceremonial dinner and interact with the graduating flight cadets. During this event, he will award trophies to the flight cadets who have excelled in their respective streams.

The event will also have an aerobatic display by the SU-30 aircraft, the famous Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team, Sarang Helicopter Display Team, Pilatus PC-7 trainer and a fly past by formations of PC-7, Kiran and Hawk aircraft.

Autumn term CGP heralds a milestone event in the annals of history of AFA as the current 206th Course happens to be the 100th course at this academy. AFA will be celebrating its Golden Jubilee year in 2021 as the academy completes fifty glorious years of its existence since January 16, 1971. - IANS

Am a surgeon first and forever, says Bhutan PM

?Hyderabad, Dec 17: Bhutan Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering has said that he is a surgeon first and forever and that politics is only a passing phase in his life.

"Surgeons operate with a knife and I have the advantage of operating with the pen as a politician and with a knife as a surgeon. I am a surgeon first and forever. Politics is only a passing phase in my life," he said in his virtual address at the 80th Annual Conference of the Association of Surgeons of India (ASI).

He said that it is important to be good human beings first and later a good surgeon and it is important to adhere to the Hippocratic oath.

Tshering spoke about Gross National Happiness (GNH), which is a philosophy that has been the guiding force for Bhutan and aims for collective happiness and wellbeing of a population. He urged the surgical fraternity to serve selflessly for the greater good of humanity.

He complimented ASI president Dr P Raghu Ram for his outstanding leadership.

Earlier, in his presidential address, the ASI president said that in the 82-year-long history of the association, it was for the first time that the Prime Minister of a country graced an important ASI ceremony as the chief guest.

He said that the Prime Minister of Bhutan is an epitome of simplicity, who is transforming Bhutan and he would hopefully serve as an inspiration to close to well over 6,000 surgeons participating in the three-day conference.

Three eminent surgeons from India - Prof CR Ballal from Mangalore, Prof DD Patel from Ahmedabad and Prof Tehemton Udwadia from Mumbai were conferred the ASI lifetime achievement awards for 2020 in recognition of their invaluable and tireless contribution to the ASI over many decades.

Prof Patricia Numann from the US, Prof Tony Sparnon from Australia, Prof Iain Anderson from the UK, Prof Jayaindra Fernando from Sri Lanka, Prof Takao Ohki from Japan and Prof Jose Antonio Salud from the Philippines were the six world renowned surgeons conferred with Honorary Fellowship of ASI during the convocation ceremony.

A total of 57 surgeons from all across India were conferred Fellowship of ASI. - IANS

Next Story