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AIR FORCE DAY: Dozens of IAF aircraft to take part in air display in Prayagraj
Indian Air Force will hold an air display on October 8 to celebrate its 91st anniversary. The event will take place in Prayagraj and will feature various aircraft formations. Governor Anandi Ben Patel and chief minister Yogi Adityanath will attend, while invites have also been sent to President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The celebrations will begin with an air display in Bhopal on September 30.
PRAYAGRAJ People will witness an impressive air display of its power by the Indian Air Force on October 8. To commemorate Air Force Day, marking IAF’s 91st anniversary, dozens of different aircraft will take part in an air display over the holy confluence of Sangam in Prayagraj, during which they will put up a dazzling show of some vivid and varying formations, informed district administration officials.
Governor Anandi Ben Patel and chief minister Yogi Adityanath will attend the event. The district administration has received consent from the Governor’s House and the CM’s Office in this regard, officials added.
However, consent is still awaited from the office of President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who are also expected to grace the occasion, they said.
“The Indian Air Force will be celebrating its 91st anniversary on October 8, 2023. Keeping with the new tradition of hosting the Air Force Day celebrations in different parts of the country, this year’s Air Force Day parade and Air Display will be held in Prayagraj,” said Gp Capt Samir Gangakhedkar, Public Relations Officer (Defence), Prayagraj.
The ceremonial parade would be conducted at Air Force Station-Bamrauli, and the Air Display would be conducted over the Sangam area, in the vicinity of Ordnance Depot Fort in Prayagraj. The scenic surroundings would add to the appeal of the stream of aircraft displaying various close formations and exhilarating manoeuvres, he added.
The Air Force Day celebrations will actually commence more than a week before this with an Air Display near Bhojtal Lake at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, on September 30, 2023, he shared. IAF is looking forward to greeting and enthralling the local populace with its exciting range of aerobatic performances, both at Prayagraj and Bhopal, the PRO (Defence) added.
For the preparation of the program, Prayagraj District Magistrate Navneet Singh Chahal held a review meeting in the Sangam auditorium on Thursday. During this, senior IAF officers were also present. IAF officers have urged the district administration to send 1000 school students for the full dress rehearsal to be held on October 6, set to take place in the morning. A list of students for this has been submitted by the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS)-Prayagraj already. Whereas a request has been made to send 20,000 school students for the main program to be held on October 8, district officials said.
President Draupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh besides Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are expected to be present at the Allahabad Fort for the program on October 8. Besides, invited VIPs, children, and the general public of the Prayagraj division and district will be present on the Parade ground.
DM has ordered arrangements for VVIP seating, PA system, commentary box, parking arrangements, and cleanliness arrangements in the confluence area besides toilets, drinking water, water police, medical arrangements, installation of wireless systems in boat ambulances, ambulances, etc. Instructions have also been given to make arrangements for emergency treatment, blood bank, control room, referral hospital, etc., in light of the event.
Last year on IAF’s 90th anniversary in Chandigarh, nearly 80 military aircraft and helicopters including Rafale, Tejas, Jaguar, Mirage 2000, Sukhoi, MIG-29, C-103 besides Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv, Chinook, Apache, and Mi 17 participated in the Air Force Day fly-past.
