Why is Air Force Day celebrated on 8th October? Why not 1 April, 20 July, 15 August, 7 September, as some of these dates are often used (& confused?) with the birth of the Indian Air Force. Read more on how these dates are relevant to the IAF (1/11)
The wheels to form the Indian Air Force were put in motion by the Skeene committee recommendations. Five selected Indian cadets reported to RAF Cranwell on 7 Sep 1930 to begin training as pilots & officers of the Indian Air Force. Does 7 Sep merit fame? 2/
After nearly two years of training, the first 5 Cadets were ready to be made officers, just like the others in their class. The day they completed the course is 20 July 1932 – Another date worthy of recognition. 3/
After the course, they were sent on leave & reported to the first unit they were assigned, the No. 16 Army Cooperation Sqn, RAF at Old Sarum on 16th August 1932. They were at this stage “Pilot officers” of the IAF (not RAF). The IAF though had not yet been “officially’ formed. 4/
However, this date 15th August 1932, becomes very relevant. The date, from which the commission of these 5 officers was affected with Ante-date seniority. Who knew, 15 years later, this date would become synonymous with India itself. 5/
The 5 Indians continued to fly with RAF units, as trainee pilots for a few months, as IAF had not yet been formally birthed. In Feb 1933, under the command of an RAF officer, they moved to India to form the nucleus of 1 Sqn, IAF – which was born on 1 April 1933. 6/
For more than four decades, till 1976, 1st April was celebrated as “Air Force Day” as it marked the day IAF’s 1st sqn was born and equipped. The relevance is often confused and wrongly linked to the formation date of the RAF on 1 April 1918. 7/
The relevance of 1st April was strengthened even more when in 1954, on this date Subroto Mukerjee took over as the first Indian chief of the IAF. 8/
43 years later, in 1976 it was decided to make 8 October the date on which the Indian Air Force will celebrate its anniversary i.e., “Air Force Day”. So, what was the relevance of 8th October? 9/
It was on 8th October 1932; the Governor General approved the Act governing the Indian Air Force and its personnel. So, while the AF day is celebrated on 8th October, which of the above dates would you consider more worthy? (10/10)
Originally published on Twitter
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