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From Leh to Kochi and Mumbai to Guwahati, the Indian Air Force on Sunday carried out fly-pasts over major cities and towns as helicopters showered petals on hospitals across the country to express gratitude to healthcare professionals, who are at the forefront of the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
In keeping with Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat’s Friday announcement, jets like Sukhoi-30 MKI, MiG-29 and Jaguar conducted fly-pasts in Mumbai, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Patna, Lucknow, Srinagar, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Bhopal, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Coimbatore and Thiruvananthapuram. The Army’s military bands also performed outside leading hospitals dedicated to Covid-19 treatment.
The Indian Navy also deployed its choppers to shower flower petals on coastal states and its ships were seen displaying thank you messages saluting the “Covid warriors”.
The Eastern Naval Command, Western Naval Command and Southern Naval Command also illuminated a few warships in the evening docked at major ports.
In Delhi, the exercise started with laying of wreath at the police memorial, honouring the personnel deployed for enforcement of the nationwide lockdown. A fleet of military jets, including Sukhoi-30 MKI, MiG-29 and Jaguar, flew over Rajpath and then orbited over the city for around 30 minutes from 11 am to express gratitude towards medical professionals and all frontline workers.
Premier transport aircraft C-130 also carried out a separate fly-past over Delhi-NCR region. The aircraft flew at an approximate height of 500 metres to 1,000 metres keeping in mind the aerospace safety. Air Force choppers showered flower petals on dedicated Covid-19 hospitals such as Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, Sir Gangaram Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital and AIIMS.
A fleet of IAF aircraft SU-30 carried out flypasts over Marine Drive and the Governor’s house in Mumbai, thanking the medical staff and sanitation workers in Maharashtra, the worst-affected state with more than 11,000 positive cases and over 500 deaths. An aircraft of the Indian Air Force dropped flowers on J J Hospital, KEM Hospital and Kasturba Gandhi Hospital. Of the total number of coronavirus patients in the state, 200 have been cured so far.
The India Navy and the Coast Guard also flew their Chetak helicopters to shower flowers on the J J Hospital and naval medical hospital Asvini in the state capital.
IAF aircraft rained petals on hospitals in Ahmedabad and conducted a flypast over the city and the Gujarat Assembly complex in Gandhinagar as a gesture of gratitude towards medics and doctors. The Indian Navy also saluted them by illuminating its vessels along the Gujarat coast in the early hours of Sunday. An IAF helicopter showered petals on the Civil Hospital and civic-run Sardar Vallabhbhai Hospital in Ahmedabad — both treating Covid patients.
Track top deveopments in coronavirus situation in India
An IAF band also arrived at the two hospitals and played the tune of “Saare Jahaan Se Achcha, Hindustan Hamara”, a defence release said.
The Sarang helicopter of the IAF flew past the Government Medical College Hospital and the General Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram as part the Army’s initiative to honour frontline workers battling coronavirus. The chopper hovered over a statue of ‘Mother and child’ at the medical college hospital and moved towards the main entrance to drop flower petals. It then left for General Hospital to honour the medics there. Southern Naval Command also displayed a message saluting the healthcare professionals.
Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) deployed their aircraft to paid an aerial salute to frontline personnel in war against Covid-19. An IAF chopper showered flower petals on the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and the Tamil Nadu Government Multi-Super Specialty Hospital in Chennai. Later, a Coast Guard helicopter carried out a similar activity honouring health workers at Chennai’s Government Stanley Medical College and Kilpauk Medical College
In West Bengal too, the IAF showered flower petals on Chittaranjan Cancer Institute and Beliaghata ID hospital — both dealing with coronavirus patients — to express solidarity with the health staffers. Indian Navy’s INS Jalashwa saluted the corona warriors by displaying a ‘thank you’ message while sailing in Bay of Bengal.
Armed forces acknowledged the efforts of “corona warriors” in Karnataka with Indian Air Force helicopters dropping flower petals on hospitals. IAF’s Mi-17 helicopter showered flower petals on doctors, nurses and staff at the Victoria Hospital, a designated Covid-19 hospital in Bengaluru. The workers in turn appreciated the efforts by clapping and several of them clicking photos.
A similar activity was undertaken at the Command Hospital, defence officials told PTI. They said the INS Vikramaditya ship, which is at Anchorage off Karwar coast, will be illuminated at 7.30 pm and will remain lit till midnight.
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