During a momentous ceremony at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, Telangana, the Indian Air Force (IAF) celebrated the graduation of 204 flight cadets from both flying and ground duty branches. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh addressed the audience, emphasizing the vital role of aerospace power in modern warfare and defense strategies. He highlighted the importance of collaboration across all branches of the IAF, stressing that no unit operates in isolation and that success is rooted in teamwork and shared knowledge.
The event, marked by the prestigious Combined Graduation Parade (CGP), saw the induction of 26 female officers into various roles within the IAF. Air Chief Marshal Singh conferred the President’s Commission on the graduates, affirming their readiness to take on new challenges in their respective fields. The parade also recognized nine officers each from the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard, along with one officer from the Vietnam People’s Air Force, who were awarded their wings following the completion of their flying training.
In a display of individual excellence, Flying Officer Parag Dhankhar was honored with the President’s Plaque and the Chief of the Air Staff Sword of Honour for achieving the first position in the overall merit of the pilots’ course. Similarly, Flying Officer Ram Prasad Gurjar secured the President’s Plaque for topping the ground duty officers course.
A significant highlight of the ceremony was the commissioning of the inaugural batch of officers into the newly-established Weapon Systems Branch of the IAF. The new branch, initiated in July at Air Force Station Begumpet, aims to provide specialized and effect-based training to meet the operational demands of the IAF. It encompasses four specialized streams: the Flying Stream, which will manage advanced weapon systems; the Remote Stream, focused on remotely operated aircraft; the Mission Command and Operators Stream, handling missile systems; and the Intelligence Stream, which will concentrate on space intelligence and imagery.
As the ceremony advanced, the newly commissioned officers took to the parade ground in unison, performing a slow march to the stirring strains of Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Anandaloke.’ The event culminated in an exhilarating aerobatics display featuring the Su-30MKI, alongside a synchronized performance by the helicopter display team ‘Sarang’ and the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team, leaving a lasting impression on attendees and marking a significant milestone in the careers of the newly graduated officers.
