MiG-21 Retirement: Meet the Young Pilot Priya Sharma Behind the Historic Sky Salute
MiG-21 Retirement: Meet the Young Pilot Priya Sharma Behind the Historic Sky Salute
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is preparing to say goodbye to one of its most famous fighter jets, the MiG-21, after more than 60 years of service. On September 26, a grand farewell will be held at the Chandigarh Air Force Station, the very place where the MiG-21 first took off for India decades ago. And at the heart of this emotional goodbye is Squadron Leader Priya Sharma, a young fighter pilot who will fly in the special farewell formation.
The young pilot at the center of history
Priya Sharma’s journey to this proud moment began long before she wore the IAF uniform. Growing up in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district, she watched her father serve in the Air Force and often saw Jaguars and Hawks soaring through the skies. These early memories sparked her dream of flying. Determined to follow in her father’s footsteps, Priya trained as an engineer and went on to join the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, graduating in 2018. Her hard work and dedication soon made her the seventh woman to become a fighter pilot in the IAF.
Breaking barriers and making her mark
When she was commissioned as a flying officer by the late Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Priya stood out as the only woman in her fighter pilot batch. She began her training at Hakimpet Air Force Station in Hyderabad, where she learned the basics of military flying, and later moved to Bidar Air Force Station in Karnataka for advanced fighter training. The same skies she had admired as a child at Bidar became the grounds where she honed her skills. Earlier this year, in August, she was part of another historic moment when she flew in formation during the air chief’s farewell sortie at Nal Air Force Station in Bikaner.
A grand farewell for a legendary jet
Now, Priya is set to create history again, this time by being part of the MiG-21’s final goodbye. The IAF has planned a ceremony full of emotion and pride. The event will begin with the arrival of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, followed by a thrilling skydiving show by the elite team ‘Akash Ganga,’ who will jump from 8,000 feet. After that, six MiG-21s from No. 23 Squadron, famously known as the “Panthers,” will roar across the skies in a majestic flypast. Priya will be one of the pilots in this farewell formation, flying alongside her teammates as the jets receive a traditional water cannon salute on landing.
Honoring a warhorse of the skies
This farewell is not just about saying goodbye to an aircraft; it is about honoring a legend. The MiG-21, which first entered the IAF in Chandigarh in 1963 under the leadership of then Chief Dilbagh Singh, has played a key role in India’s military history. From the wars of 1965 and 1971 to the Kargil conflict of 1999 and even the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, the MiG-21 has been a symbol of courage and strength. To mark the occasion, a commemorative postal stamp will be released as the jets take their final bow.
As Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh flies the squadron’s last sortie under the call sign Badal 3, Priya Sharma will help lead the farewell in the sky. For the nation, her role is a reminder of how far women in the Air Force have come and how the spirit of the MiG-21 will continue to inspire generations of pilots.
