DEFENCE Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday stressed the need for maintaining traditions of the Armed Forces while adopting innovation and said there has to be a balance between both of them. Addressing the Combined Graduation Parade at Air Force Academy at Dundigul near here, Singh opined that following traditions would only make the system like stagnant water in a lake, and if it is coupled with innovation, it will become a river always providing fresh water. “Traditions are important in the Armed Forces, because they are time tested. They served useful purposes for a long time. That’s why giving proper importance to the traditions is also necessary. There is one important thing. If we follow traditions without any thinking, there will be stagnation in our system naturally,” the Union Minister said. He emphasised on the importance of innovation in the ever-changing circumstances in the world. Singh also exhorted the newly commissioned flying officers to always keep up their new thinking and ideology.

 

Meanwhile, 213 flight cadets, included 25 women have been commissioned in various branches of the IAF, on Sunday. According to the Ministry of Defence, eight officers from the Indian Navy, nine from the Indian Coast Guard and two from friendly countries were also awarded ‘Wings’ following the completion of their flying training. The MoD said that to mark the successful culmination of training of 213 Flight Cadets of the flying and ground duty branches of the Indian Air Force, a Combined Graduation Parade was held at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal on Sunday. The graduating officers were administered the oath by the Commandant of the Academy. The CGP was interspersed by a synchronised fly-past by trainer aircraft that comprised Pilatus PC-7 Mk II, Hawk and Kiran, along with Chetak helicopters, official added.

 

The Defence Minister also bestowed various awards on trainees who excelled in various disciplines of training. Flying Officer Atul Prakash from the flying branch was awarded the President’s Plaque and Chief of the Air Staff Sword of Honour for standing first in the overall order of merit in the pilots’ course. Flying Officer Amrinder Jeet Singh was awarded the President’s Plaque for standing first in the overall order of merit amongst the ground duty branches, IAF added. The Parade culminated with the newly commissioned officers marching-out in two columns to the notes of Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Anandaloke’. An enthralling aerobatic show by Su-30MKI, synchronous aerobatics by the helicopter display team ‘Sarang’, and ‘SuryaKiran’ Aerobatic Team marked the grand finale of the CGP, official added.