At statehood event,Arunachal officer denied visa by China leads fly-past

Panging incidentally was denied visa by Beijing recently for a trip as part of a defence delegation.

In a message not likely to be lost on China,Arunachal Pradeshs own Mohonto Panging led the fly-past by three Sukhoi-30 aircraft as Defence Minister A K Antony inaugurated a festival here today to mark 25 years of Arunachal attaining statehood. Panging incidentally was denied visa by Beijing recently for a trip as part of a defence delegation.

China contests Indian control over Arunachal and has denied persons from the state a visa on several occasions. A Vishisht Seva Medal winner,Panging was to be part of a 30-member defence officers delegation to China last month when the visa was denied. His brother Hemonto is a Colonel in the Army.

Those attending the festival,including school students,said Panging was an inspiration for them. It is great to see a boy from our state flying a Sukhoi over here,especially on an occasion like this, said Bengia Hemanta,a noted singer who said he would compose a song for Panging.

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In fact,coinciding with both the statehood anniversary and the 50th year of Chinese aggression into this border region,the administration has launched a concerted drive to motivate younger generation to look at the armed forces as a career option.

A few boys becoming officers will definitely inspire more to look at the armed forces as a career option, said Lt Gen Shakti Gurung,GOC of the Armys Four Corps based at Tezpur.

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