Operation Sindoor shining testament of IAF's precision and power: Air Chief Marshal
advertisementThe event was marked by a ceremonial parade, aerobatic displays, and the conferring of 'Wings' to graduating cadets, which included officers from the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, and a trainee from a friendly foreign country. The Air Chief was received by Air Marshal Tejinder Singh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command, and Air Marshal PK Vohra, Commandant of the AFA.
Highlighting the IAF's role as the first responder during national crises, the Chief of Air Staff urged the newly commissioned officers to recognise the changing nature of warfare and the increasing significance of aerospace power. He said the battlespace of the future would be more complex, and officers would need commitment, innovation, and deep passion to meet emerging challenges, including those in space.The commissioning ceremony was also attended by dignitaries and proud families of the cadets. Officers took an oath to safeguard the nation's sovereignty and honour, marking the culmination of years of rigorous training. Aerial displays by the Suryakiran team, Akash Ganga skydivers, and fly-pasts by trainer aircraft added grandeur to the event.advertisementFlying Officer Rohan Krishnamurti received the President's Plaque and the Chief of the Air Staff Sword of Honour for topping the Pilots' course. Flying Officer Nishtha Vaid was awarded the President's Plaque for ranking first among Ground Duty branches.The Air Chief concluded his address by reminding the officers that the uniform they wear symbolises national pride, and called on them to lead with courage and uphold the core values of the IAF. The ceremony ended with the officers marching out to martial tunes, marking the beginning of their journey in service to the nation.Must Watch
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News18
4 hours ago
- News18
NCC cadets to undertake fresh expedition soon, peaks shortlisted: DG
New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) A newly constituted NCC expedition team consisting of 20 cadets, is set to embark on a mountaineering adventure post monsoon when they will attempt to scale a peak in northern India, the Corps' director general said. Two peaks have been shortlisted by the NCC — Mt Yunam (6,111 m) in Himachal Pradesh and Mt Shalang Dhura (5,678 m) in Uttarakhand. 'One of the two peaks will be selected based on weather conditions. The team has equal number of male and females cadets, and the planned mission is in line with promoting a spirit of adventure among the youth," DG of NCC, Lieutenant General Gurbirpal Singh told PTI. Both are basic or beginners' peak, he said. The National Cadet Corps (NCC), the largest uniformed youth organisation in the world, was raised in 1948. Earlier in May this year, an expedition team of the NCC summited Mt Everest — the world's highest peak. 'We are now looking for the next expedition. We are still to decide on a peak, but it will be either Mt Yunam located in Lahaul in Himachal Pradesh or Mt Shalang Dhura, located in Uttarakhand," Singh said. An NCC team has earlier scaled Mt Yunam but, it will be the 'first attempt" by cadets to summit Mt Shalang Dhura, he added. This will be a post-monsoon expedition, so depending on rainfall and other weather conditions, it is likely to begin around either end-September or October, he added. The NCC DG said the Corps has already put together a team for this upcoming expedition. Around fifteen days ago, nearly 150 cadets had come to Delhi after being shortlisted by their respective directorates, and from that pool, the 20 cadets were finalised, he said. The NCC has 17 directorates spread across the country, with a total sanctioned strength of 20 lakh. It has two divisions — Junior Division and Senior Division. After they join, in the first year of Senior Division, the caders are made to train at various training academies as part of different courses, and mountaineering is also part of their training. After selection for a mountaineering expedition, they get trained for 7-10 days in Uttarkashi generally, but due to natural disaster there recently, 'we are trying to do this at another place in Uttarakhand", the DG said. Lieutenant General Singh expressed pride that 2,000 NCC cadets along with 500 My Bharat volunteers were part of the team that sat in front of the Red Fort ramparts here during the 79th Independence Day celebrations, in a formation of the 'Naya Bharat' logo. The NCC DG also attended the celebrations at Red Fort on August 15, where the defining spirit was the success of Operation Sindoor — India's decisive four-day military action in May in the wake of Pahalgam attack. '75,000 NCC cadets participated in civil defence and other related activities across the country, during the four-day period when Operation Sindoor was underway," he said. The cadets helped in traffic management and crowd control. As also in hosting blood donation camps, thus contributing to nation-building which they are trained for, the DG said, adding, that they also took part in mock drills that took place around that period. On the upcoming expedition, Lt Gen Singh said, besides the 20 cadets (average age 20-21 years), at least three officers and 10-15 support staff will be part of the team. He said every year, two expeditions are planned, one pre-monsoon and another post-monsoon. For putting together an NCC expedition team for scaling Mt Everest (8,848 m), 'we take 1.5-2 years", the DG added. Mt Everest was first conquered by New Zealand's Edmund Hillary and his sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay in 1953, and has ever since fascinated climbers and mountaineers to scale the famed peak in the mighty Himalayas. NCC cadets in the past, have successfully climbed other peaks too, including Mt Kang Yatse II (6,250 m) and Mt Abi Gamin (7,335 m). PTI KND OZ OZ (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: August 17, 2025, 16:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Time of India
Two fighter pilots from Pune receive mention in despatches for bravery during ‘Op Sindoor'
Pune: Two fighter pilots of Indian Air Force (IAF) from Pune were among those recognised with a Mention in Despatches on Independence Day for their brave actions during Operation Sindoor, which took place from May 7 to May 10. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Squadron Leader Saurabh Dharmadhikari from Kasba Peth and Flight Lieutenant Akash Bibikar from Nigdi Pradhikaran are stationed at Squadron 15 of the Sirsa Air Force Station, one of the frontline air bases along the Pakistan border. Their journey into the IAF is notably similar, as both were inspired by their grandfathers, who were retired airmen. "Being part of the operation, achieving the operational tasks, and receiving this award for our efforts is a surreal experience. It is difficult to express in words," they told TOI on Saturday. Both pilots operate Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter jets and are serving in a squadron known as "Flying Lancers" for their rich history of heroic actions in the Indo-Pak Wars of 1965 and 1971. The squadron played a crucial role in 'Balakot Operation' in 2019 and the Eastern Ladakh conflict with the Chinese in 2020. "We are proud to carry forward the rich, brave legacy of our squadron that caused significant harm to enemy positions during the previous exploits and now in Operation Sindoor, too," they added. While they did not disclose specific details about their roles in the operation, they said, "When we were engaged in action, our sole focus was on achieving the target. It took a few days to fully grasp the importance of our actions. This award will always motivate us to deliver our best." While Saurabh pursued an IT engineering degree and even passed the Common Admission Test, Akash also cleared the Joint Entrance Examination (Main), but they followed their passion over bright opportunities in the private sector. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Multiple visits to the Air Force station Pune on the Air Force Day (on Oct 8) during school days have had a great impact on me, and hence I preferred IAF over everything else," said Saurabh. Similarly, Akash said he joined NDA only to fulfil his dream of joining the fighter stream. "I made my father and grandfather, retired Corporal Madhukar, proud by joining the IAF's fighter stream and now performing my duty for the country," said Akash.
Time of India
19 hours ago
- Time of India
Op Sindoor: Nagpur's Group Capt Vishwas Jamkar Wins I-Day Gallantry Award For Thwarting Enemy Missiles
1 2 Nagpur: Group Captain Vishwas Jamkar, who hails from Nagpur, was awarded 'Mention in Despatches' (M-in-D) as part of gallantry awards for his exemplary contribution during ' Operation Sindoor ' on Independence Day in Delhi by the ministry of defence. Three years ago, his younger brother, Group Captain Sumedh Jamkar, had earned a gallantry award, making them a rare brother duo to achieve this feat. Group Captain Vishwas was posted at a frontline fighter base on the western border during Operation Sindoor. He was the chief operations officer of the base and utilised his assets effectively to ensure no damage was caused by any enemy aircraft or missiles to the airbase or civilian population in that sector. For his act of courage and gallantry, Group Captain Jamkar was awarded M-in-D as part of the gallantry awards announced on the eve of Independence Day. A fighter pilot, Vishwas, who flies MiG-21s and Hawks, was the chief operating officer of an air defence formation and successfully repelled attacks from the Pakistani side in May during his posting in the Suratgarh sector in North Rajasthan, 60km off the border. During Operation Sindoor, there were constant attacks from the enemy side through drones and other weapons, and his formation made the best use of air defence systems at the IAF's disposal, ensuring that not a single enemy attack was successful. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Could This NEW Collagen Blend Finally Reduce Your Cellulite? Vitauthority Learn More Undo Vishwas represented Vidarbha in the U-16 and U-19 categories in cricket before joining the National Defence Academy in 1997. A fighter pilot with over 3,000 hours of flying in MiG-21s, Hawks, Kirans, and Pilatus, Vishwas was the commanding officer of a fighter squadron and participated extensively in various exercises, including Ex Gaganshakti 1 & 2. In 2022, his younger brother, Group Captain Sumedh Jamkar, received a Vayusena Medal (Gallantry). Sumedh, who flies an advanced light helicopter (ALH), took part in a crucial operation to save mountaineers stuck at a height of 17,000 feet in Uttarakhand following an avalanche. Sumedh also studied at Bhavans, Nagpur, and followed his elder brother to join NDA. The family lives in Jaiprakash Nagar. Group Captain Vishwas Jamkar is married to Suruchi Andhare Jamkar, alumnus of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Civil Lines. She is a renowned contemporary Indian artist with an extensive number of solo shows to her credit. Her art is proudly owned by art collectors all over the globe. Many collectors in Nagpur proudly display her art in their homes. Well-known paediatrician Dr Satish Deopujari, who knows the family, said both Vishwas and Sumedh always wanted to be in the forces from childhood. "They were passionate about joining the services. I am happy they belong to our city," he said. Dr Deopujari also mentioned that Vishwas's wife, Suruchi Andhare, also from Nagpur, is an excellent artist of national repute. "She is a perfect complement to Vishwas," he said. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
