The Hindu : National : Sachin to get honorary Group Captain rank of IAF

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National

Sachin to get honorary Group Captain rank of IAF

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar will be conferred with the honorary rank of Group Captain of the Indian Air Force, in pursuance of a provision in the armed forces to grant such ranks to eminent personalities.

In recognition of his glorious achievement as a cricketer, the Air Force mooted the proposal and it received the assent from the President in her capacity as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, a Defence Ministry release said here on Wednesday.

The Air Force feels that Tendulkar's association with it will motivate the younger generation to join it and serve the country. Till date the Air Force has granted honorary ranks to 21 persons, including noted industrialists and aviation enthusiasts such as J.R.D. Tata and Vijaipat Singhania.

“I am very proud to be associated with this dynamic force and I shall do my very best to be a brand ambassador for the IAF. I am looking forward to familiarising myself with the Air Force. I once again salute the IAF for this great honour bestowed on me,'' Sachin told the IAF, the release said.

Tendulkar is currently away from the country and the IAF plans to hold a special ceremony for conferring the rank.

As per the IAF records, the former ruler of Jawhar, a princely state in Bombay presidency, Yashwant Rao Patangshah Vikramshah Mukane, was the first person to be granted the honorary rank of Flight Lieutenant on September 30, 1944.

The list includes rulers of a number of erstwhile princely states.

J.R.D. Tata was first made an honorary Group Captain in 1948. He was later promoted as Air Commodore in October 1966 and finally made the honorary Air Vice Marshal in 1974.

Singhania was the last to be granted the honorary rank in October 1990 after having flown solo in a micro-light aircraft from London to Ahmedabad for 22 days in 1988.

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