New Delhi: In-a-first-of-its-kind ever and probably taking cue from the US Navy and Air Force, the Indian armed forces carried out a unique mega peacetime exercise ever undertaken by them to convey the nation’s gratitude to thousands of Corona warriors fighting the dreaded pandemic.
As the sound of jets roaring across clear blue skies echoed from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Indian Air Force transport planes Mi-17 V5 helicopters flew over townships showering flower petals over hospitals while bands of the three services struck up martial notes from early morning.
As the IAF aircraft flew over Srinagar’s Dal Lake and Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh expressing the nation’s gratefulness and support to unrelenting battle being waged by medical professionals, and as Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged in a tweet that it was a “great gesture by our armed forces.”
In a “gesture of special gratitude” IAF Mi V5 helicopters showered flower petals on hospitals all over the country while bands of the three services played outside medical buildings in most districts as the Corona warriors came out to acknowledge the tribute to them.
The first show of gratitude to health workers was when Prime Minister Modi requested people to clap for them from their balconies. Then came a show of solidarity with turning off lights and lighting of candles. This gesture by the armed forces is the third massive display of gratitude to health workers.
Starting with a SU-30 flypast over the capital’s leading medical institution – All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), it was followed by an IAF Mi-17 V5 helicopter showering flower petals over the institute as the Corona warriors stood outside to acknowledge the compliments by the men in uniform.
SU-30s also flew over the Army Base Hospital in the capital as a Mi-17 V5 helicopter showered petals and an Army band played martial tunes to pep up the mood of the brave corona warriors who without concern for their lives and have been away from their families for weeks dedicating their lives in the service of the nation.
The Indian Air Force, Army and Navy expressed their gratitude to healthcare workers, police and forces as flypasts, lit-up ships and musical tributes by Army bands outside hospitals took place across the country. From Srinagar to Hyderabad, Mumbai to Itanagar, the flypasts by the Air Force and the Navy added to the tribute.
In Delhi, the IAF fighter jets from the Western Air Command dropped petals at hospitals across the city from 10:30 am.
The fighter aircraft formations comprising Sukhoi-30MKI, MiG-29 and Jaguar flew over Rajpath in central Delhi and circled over the city for 30 minutes.
In Mumbai, military aircraft dropped petals at King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital and Kasturba Gandhi Hospital.
An IAF helicopter showered flower petals over the Infectious Diseases and Beliaghata General (IDBG) Hospital in Kolkata at 10.30 am.
Flower petals were also dropped by IAF aircraft over hospitals at Guwahati and Shillong as an expression of gratitude to doctors, nurses, paramedical and other staff who are fighting the novel Coronavirus pandemic from the frontline.
A Chetak helicopter of Indian Navy showered flower petals on the district government hospital in Kochi.
The Southern Naval Command (SNC) in Kochi, in keeping with the directive of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), represented the Indian Armed Forces to express gratitude and appreciation to the entire nation for the perseverance and committed efforts of the virus warriors.
The men and officers of the Southern Naval Command to express solidarity and gratitude to the Coronavirus warriors, including medical professionals, health workers, policemen, government staff and mediapersons, visited General Hospital, Ernakulam, to thank the medical fraternity, district collector, police officials, paramedics and healthcare workers for their efforts in maintaining Ernakulam as a ‘Green Zone.’
Different aircraft of Indian Navy including Dornier, Sea King, Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and Chetak carried out a flypast over Mumbai’s iconic Marine Drive followed by a steam-past by seven Fast Interceptor Crafts (FIC) who are involved in coastal security of Kerala and Lakshadweep, along the Marine Drive, at slow speed with banners thanking the Coronavirus warriors.
In a symbolic gesture, Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya punched Coronavirus on its lit deck as a tribute to the corona warriors.
Indian Coast Guard (ICG) in solidarity with efforts of the Government undertook community interaction programmes about the precautions to be adopted to educate mariners, especially fishermen community, ports and other agencies.
The ICG is also actively taking part in the ‘India Thanks COVID-19 Warriors’ initiative by illuminating ships at 25 locations covering the entire coastline of the country including the remote sites and far flung island territories of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep and Minicoy Islands. In addition, ICG helicopters would also shower petals on COVID-19 hospitals at five locations.
A total of 46 ICG ships and around 10 helicopters took part in the initiative.
From Goa to Lucknow and Odisha, Indian Air Force choppers showered flowers over the Corona warriors as a mark of gratitude for their untiring and selfless service to the nation battling the worst ever disease that has ever hit the world.
Thanking the armed forces for this tribute, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted “I thank the Armed Forces for their special initiatives like flypasts, showering flower petals and several other performances to express gratitude towards medical professionals, police and other frontline warriors.”
In his praise of the armed forces, General Secretary of the Resident Doctors Association (RDA), AIIMS-Delhi, Dr Srinivas Rajkumar T said “we wholeheartedly appreciate the gesture by Army, Navy and Air Force for services rendered by health care workers but the government should also pay attention to shortcomings in preparedness which will decide the final outcome of the battle against Covid-19.”
