Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Defence personnel asked to be role models

Staff Reporter

`Indian Air Force remains an island of values'

APOLITICAL TALK: Air Marshal P.M. Ramachandran (Retired) speaking at the Air Force Administrative College (AFAC) in the city on Thursday to mark the platinum jubilee celebrations of IAF. (seated from left) Wing Commander, R. Srinivasan, Retired Air Vice Marshal, V. Sri Hari and Air Commodore, D. Mukundan, Commandant of AFAC, are in the picture.- Photo: M. Periasamy

Coimbatore: Officers serving in Armed Forces should set an example to the juniors in upholding values especially at a time when there is an erosion of values in other spheres of life, said Air Marshal, P.M. Ramachandran (retired) here on Thursday.

He along with retired Air Vice Marshal V. Sri Hari were delivering lectures on `Heritage and Values of Indian Air Force - Past, Present and Future' organised by the Air Force Administrative College (AFAC) to mark the platinum jubilee of Indian Air Force. The Indian Air Force (IAF) is celebrating its 75 years from October 9, 2006 to October 8, 2007. Heads from the various departments in the civil administration also took part.

Air Vice Marshal Sri Hari took a trip down the memory lane on the evolution of IAF since its inception in 1932 and the number of wars and operations it had participated besides the success stories.

Serious erosion

Air Marshal Ramachandran said that there was a serious erosion of values when compared to the yesteryear generations of freedom fighters and the power-seeking generation today. Amid these, IAF had remained an island of values and it was for the members of the Force to ensure that the rampant erosion of values never engulfed the island.

The IAF had remained strictly disciplined and apolitical. Because of the inherent respect for the military leadership and the civil power, India had remained free from any coup attempts while neighbouring countries witnessed many. There was an imperative need to arrest the erosion of values for which purification process should start from the source i.e., legislature (Parliament).

Electoral reforms

He lamented that the vested interests in the law making body never allowed the electoral reforms to take shape. The only checks and balance available for the legislature today was the independent and proactive higher level of judiciary, he said.

He exhorted the members of the Force to make sure that the welfare and honour of the country remained of paramount priority and their personal interests should be the last. A movie on the various operations of IAF and career opportunities were screened and a pictorial gallery on the history of the Force and various wars and operations was also organised to mark the occasion, which traced the evolution of IAF from the first war aircraft Wapiti to the present day Sukhoi 30 fighter aircraft.

Air Commodore, D. Mukundan, Commandant of the AFAC, welcomed the gathering and Wing Commander R. Srinivasan proposed a vote of thanks.

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