The Indian Air Force, is equally efficient as the Indian Army and the Indian Navy , but of the three Defence Forces, the Indian Air Force, or IAF for short, is the one whose mandate is to be the sentinel of the sky during war and peace. At the time of war, it gives air support to Army and Navy. India has the finest Air Force in the world, well trained, disciplined, committed to the safety of the country and always ready to fly. The Bangalore based Hindustan Aircraft Limited manufactures fighter planes for the Air Force.

Indian Air Force has many branches- the Engineering Branch, the Signals Branch and the Flying Branch. It is the Flying Branch, where the officers are groomed to fly different fighter aircrafts. My brother-in-law, who is a retired Sqdn. Ldr says that every Air Force Officer has the desire to bomb the unfriendly neighbour. The Officers do not fly for many years. After flying for some years, they are given ground duties, and then on completing 15 years, they retire.
The non-commissioned and junior commissioned officers follow more or less the same pattern.

There is a saying that what one wears has a lot of influence on his bearing. The IAF Officers are very smartly dressed. Their winter uniform of sky blue colour, with the stars and medals, look very impressive and smart on them. Similarly, the summer Khaki uniform gives them an impression of ever readiness. My brother-in-law says that IAF, as an acronym, means ’’I Am Flying, meaning thereby, he is always psychologically prepared to meet any flying emergency. That’s why before going for sorties, the pilots shake hands with each other, because no one knows who would return and who would not.

The ranks in the Air Force are Pilot Officer, Flying Officer, Flt. Lt. Sqdn Ldr, Gr Capt, etc., and the highest rank is the Air Chief Marshal, equivalent to Chief of Staff in the Army.

I had applied for a commission in the Signals Branch of the IAF, because of my Electronics qualifications; and was interviewed by the Air Force Selection Board at Dehradun. It was December, and Dehradun was really cold. I climbed up a Pine tree, and then slided down as it was wet. The Chairman of the Board, a Group Captain, disclosed to me that he had flown the Chief Minister of Orissa during the great Orissa floods. I did not disclose to him that I am his son-in-law. What impressed me most was that every officer and man of the IAF I met was dedicated to the Indian Air Force. I was not selected for two reasons. One, my chest was only 34. Two, I do not possess the Officer-like Qualities (OLQs). Very objective assessment. No questioning type individual is suitable for the Defence Forces. I belong to this category, made so by my teachers.

During the Republic Day Parade, the fly past by the Indian Air Force is simply superb. It is a thing to see. Different planes taking off from different air bases with split second accuracy keep perfect coordination among themselves. The Fly Past is with fluttering Tri-colour dropping flowers and rose petals. Whenever I witness this either live or through TV, I sing, ’’ Sare Jahan Se Accha Hindustan Hamara.’’ Long live IAF.