[ad_1]
By Manjeet Sehgal: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a first-of-its-kind Indian Air Force (IAF) Heritage Centre in Chandigarh on Monday. The minister said it is a testament to the courage and dedication of all those who served in the force and a reminder of their invaluable contributions in protecting the nation.
He further said this initiative will help in preserving the rich heritage of the IAF and also inspire the youth to join the armed forces.
The centre has been set up under a memorandum of understanding between the Union Territory of Chandigarh and the IAF which was signed last year. Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Banwarilal Purohit, Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari, and Member of Parliament from Chandigarh Kirron Kher were present on the occasion.
On this occasion, Defence Minister Singh sat in one of the MiG-21 aircraft on display at the centre. He also sat in a flying simulator.
“This centre is a testament to the courage and dedication of all those who have served in the IAF and a reminder of their invaluable contributions in protecting the nation,” he tweeted.
“This Centre depicts IAF’s role in various wars, including in 1965, 1971 and the Kargil war, and the Balakot air strike through murals and memorabilia. This Centre will be a big attraction not only for the people of Chandigarh but also for the people living in other states,” he stated.
This wonderful initiative will help in preserving the rich heritage of the Indian Air Force and also inspire young minds to join the armed forces, Rajnath Singh said in another tweet.
More about the Heritage Centre
The heritage centre is spread over 17,000 square feet. Located in Sector 18, this centre has put five decommissioned aircraft including a Hindustan Piston Trainer-32 primary flying trainer aircraft, a MiG 21 single-seat fighter and a GNAT aircraft (Sabre Slayer) on the display. Besides, Air Force Kanpur 1 which was made by Air Vice Marshal Harjinder Singh in 1958, has also been positioned
The centre also depicts the role of the Indian Air Force during various wars including 1947, 1948,1965, and 1971 besides the Kargil Conflict and the Balakot Air Strikes.
There are also flying simulators at the centre which will give flight experience to visitors. The attractions of the heritage centre also include SAM-III Pechora missiles.
The centre also has a special segment which has been dedicated to women officers in the IAF for their contribution to the service of the nation.
The centre also has scale models of Netra aircraft, Parchand helicopter, Mi-26, MiG 29, indigenous Tejas fighter aircraft, C-130 J Hercules, IL-78 MKI Aerial refueller, Sukhoi SU-30 MKI, advanced light helicopter-Dhruv and Integrated Air Command and Control system workstation.
The centre displays the glorious history of the IAF with the help of murals depicting its various war campaigns starting with the role of the force in the Indo-Pak war of 1948 to electro-mechanical 3D-dioramas depicting its latest operations such as the Balakot air strike.
An audio-visual gallery will present the journey of the IAF through time, tracing its evolution from its inception to the modern day as well as promotional movies.
The Chandigarh IAF Heritage Centre will be managed by the Chandigarh Administration. The visitors will be required to book tickets using an application available on the tourism department website of Chandigarh
Visitors Timings and Entry Fees
While entry for people up to 18 years will be free, others will be required to pay a fee of Rs 50. The cockpit visits will cost Rs 295 and the visitors will be given three slots i.e. 10 PM, 12 PM and 3 PM.
The visiting hours will be between 10 AM to 6 PM. The centre will remain closed on Mondays.
The visitors will also be able to buy IAF memorials and scale models from the souvenir shop. A themed cafe will serve beverages and snacks to the visitors.
[ad_2]
