Punjab govt wants retired MiG-21 to be displayed at schools to inspire students

Chandigarh, Oct 1 (PTI) Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Wednesday appealed to the Indian Air Force to station five recently retired MiG-21 aircraft at prominent Schools of Eminence (SoE) across the state to inspire students to pursue careers in defence, aerospace and related fields.

The iconic Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter jets, which have been the backbone of the Indian Air Force's combat fleet for over six decades, flew for the last time in Indian skies here last week, bringing the curtain down on a 62-year-long journey.

Indian Air Force's workhorse and the country's first supersonic fighter and interceptor aircraft finally retired at a decommissioning event in Chandigarh on September 26.

In a letter to Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, Bains proposed five locations for the display of the retired MiG-21 fighter jets: Ludhiana, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Nangal and Kharar.

"Together, we can create a living tribute to the MiG-21 and ignite the spirit of service and patriotism in our future generations," he said.

He said this initiative aims to inspire thousands of state government school students to pursue careers in defence, engineering, aerospace technology and related fields.

An official statement quoting Bains said that the Punjab government plans to collaborate with the IAF for ceremonial deployment events at these schools to foster a spirit of excellence and dedication in the students.

By having these iconic aircraft on campus, the minister expressed hope that it would motivate students daily to strive for greatness with courage and determination.

The minister assured that the installation and display of these aircraft will be carried out with the utmost respect, under strict adherence to Indian Air Force protocols and traditions.

Bains said that this initiative aligns with the Punjab government's focus on innovative and transformative education, having previously initiated international training programs for school principals to raise educational standards. PTI CHS RT RT