President Droupadi Murmu will be awarding the highest military honour, ‘President’s Standard and Colours’, to four Indian Air Force (IAF) units at Air Force Station Hindan on March 8.
At a curtain raiser press conference on Friday, Air Marshal PM Sinha, AOC-in-C Western Air Command, said this will be the first time in the history of IAF that four units will be awarded President’s Standard & Colours together.
Droupadi Murmu, who is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, will be giving the President’s Standard to 45 Squadron and 221 Squadron and the President’s Colours to 11 Base Repair Depot and 509 Signal Unit, the IAF said. The President’s Standard will be received by Group Captain M Surendran, Commanding Officer of 45 Squadron and Group Captain Shubhankan, Commanding Officer of 221 Squadron.
The President’s Colours will be received by Air Commodore Ashutosh Vaidya, Air Officer Commanding of 11 Base Repair Depot and Group Captain Vivek Sharma Commanding Officer of 509 Signal Unit.
As per the Air Marshal Sinha, the award of the President’s Standard and Colours is the highest military honour for any Armed Forces Unit. He also added that the selected Units are recognised for the meritorious services rendered by them during the past 25 years. The award is an acknowledgement of the operational excellence, dedication and proven contribution of these units both during peace and war, he pointed out.