Guwahati/New Delhi
Clad in Indian Air Force (IAF) attire, India’s first tribal President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday flew in a Sukhoi fighter jet from the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam.
In doing so, she became the second woman President of India to do so. In 2009, the then President Pratibha Patil had created history by flying in a Sukhoi 30 MKI in Pune.
President Murmu has been in Assam on a three-day visit.
Group Captain Naveen Kumar Tiwari flew her in a Sukhoi-30 MKI that took off from the Indian Air Force base. Before boarding the jet, Murmu waved her hand at those present and also showed the victory sign.
With the country’s highest constitutional head to fly, IAF officials had minutely examined everything before the jet took off at 11:06 am.
The Sukhoi jet carrying President Droupadi Murmu touched down at the runway of the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam at 11:29 am, 23 minutes after it had taken off.
The President flew for about 30 mins covering Brahmaputra and Tezpur valley. The aircraft flew at a height of about two kms above sea level and at a speed of about 800 kms per hour,” the Rashtrapati Bhawan said.
“Achcha laga (felt good),” Murmu told reporters after completing her sortie.
The President was briefed on the operational capabilities of the aircraft and the IAF and she expressed satisfaction on the operational preparedness of the IAF.
On Friday, Murmu inaugurated the Gaj Utsav-2023 at the Kaziranga National Park, took a jeep safari and fed elephants. She also attended a function organised to mark the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Gauhati High Court in Guwahati.
She was received at the air base by Air Marshal S P Dharkar, Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
