Why and how India celebrates Air Force Day

 

Touch the sky with Glory

The Motto of Indian Air Force (Touch the sky with Glory) has been taken from eleventh chapter of the Gita, the Discourse given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra during the Great War of Mahabharata.

 

The Indian Air Force is celebrating 88th Air Force Day on Thursday, October 8. The day is being marked by the main event comprising a parade and flypast at Hindon Air Force Base along with events at IAF establishments across the country — this time with many restrictions due to the pandemic. A look at why the day is celebrated, the traditions attached with it and its significance.  

 

October 8 is celebrated as the Air Force Day because on this day, the Air Force in India was officially raised in 1932 as the supporting force of the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom. The first operational squadron came into being in April 1933. After participation in World War II, the Air Force in India came to be called the Royal Indian Air Force in the mid 1940s. In 1950, after the republic came into being it became the Indian Air Force. From six officers and 19 Hawai Sepoys back in 1933, the Air Force now is the fourth largest in the world.

 

For several decades until 2005-06, the Air Force Day used to be marked by the main event, parade and flypast at Palam. But due to the increasing air traffic issues, it was shifted to Hindon Air Force Base in Ghaziabad which is home to two squadrons of transport aircraft and a helicopter unit among other establishments. The flypasts and displays on the occasion have traditionally showcased the in service aircraft and systems of the Air Force.

 

Apart from the importance of the day for the celebration of the history and traditions, the parade and flypast also have importance as a strategic signal. Former Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Bhushan Gokhale (Retd) said, “On one hand Air Force Day is when air warriors — an apt and inclusive term coined by Air Chief Marshal AY Tipnis — look back and take stock of the situation and look ahead into the future. On the other hand, the immaculate parades and breathtaking displays are a strategic message, to the citizens of the country assuring that they are safe hands and also to the adversaries.” Air Marshal Gokhale added, “Its a day to pay tribute to countless sacrifices made by air warriors in not just in safeguarding the skies but also in numerous humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations taken up till now and in the days to come.”