Recently I
had the occasion to reminisce about my career in the Air Force.
The milestone that prompted this introspection was the
39th Anniversary of my batch's commissioning into the
Bhartiya Vayu Sena. I recalled with pride that glorious day last
month, when Air Chief Marshal PC Lal, the then Chief of the Air
Staff, pinned the Air Force flying badge - 'Wings' - onto my
chest while I stood ram rod straight to receive this ultimate
symbol of acceptance by the flying fraternity - a rite of
passage, so to speak; a badge of honour and commitment. I
remember that event clearly, like it happened yesterday!
Let me be
upfront about this: I joined the Air Force at that time, not
because I wanted to belong to an Organisation run by highly rated
professionals but for another, very selfish reason - to get a
shot at flying fast jets. As years went by and now, as I look
back, I know that I got a lot, lot more from that Service than I
could have ever imagined or even anticipated. I am what I am
thanks to the Indian Air Force.
Sure, I got
to fly the fast jets of the day right through my 31 year long
flying career - Hunter, Marut, Gnat, the Mig series, Jaguar,
Mirage, F-16, F-18 etc., but, I also got much more than that. I
got to meet and befriend an exceptional bunch of people who
always seemed to put the interest of others, ahead of their own.
This bunch, somehow, managed to find time and more
importantly