They prefer Air Force over cushy IT jobs

Bhosale’s father is a Warrant Officer in the IAF and is presently posted in the Eastern Sector.

“When I came to Pune in 2006,we stayed in Santnagar,Lohegaon. The window of my room faced the runway of the Lohegaon Airbase. I used to see Sukhoi’s take off and land. That was the time,when I thought of becoming a Fighter Pilot,” he said.

Modak (22),who completed engineering in Instrumentation & Control branch from VIT,made it to the flying branch through AFCAT entry. Both his parents are doctors – His father Dr Milind Modak is an orthopedic surgeon and mother Dr Kalindi Modak is an ophthalmologist.

“I wanted to join the Indian Army since the time I was in 2nd standard. While pursuing my engineering career,my love for aircraft grew gradually. After interacting with a few IAF pilots,I decided to join IAF. I would like to be a fighter pilot because I love speed and want to experience that adrenaline rush while flying supersonic aircraft,” he said.

The two are among the 46 youths who got selected for IAF flying branch from all over the country,the results for which were announced on June 20. The one-and-a- half year training will commence from July 9 and after its successful completion they will be commissioned in the rank of Flying Officer in the IAF. Both of them are students of city- based Apex Careers.