President Murmu on Sukhoi: Amid her ongoing visit to Assam, President Droupadi Murmu flew a sortie on the Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft today (April 8) from the Tezpur Air Force Station. Notably, she became the second female head of state to fly in a warplane after former President Pratibha Patil took off from the Pune air force base in a frontline Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet in 2009.
"On April 8, 2023, the president will make a sortie on the Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Tezpur Air Force Station," the official said.
The President, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, flew for approximately 30 minutes covering Brahmaputra and Tezpur valley with a view of Himalayas before returning to the Air Force Station.
President Murmu inaugurated the 'Gaj Utsav'
Earlier on April 7, President Murmu inaugurated the Gaj Utsav 2023 at the Kaziranga National Park in Assam. Speaking on the occasion, the President said that there is a sacred relationship between nature and humanity.
“The culture of respecting nature has been the identity of our country. In India, nature and culture have been linked to each other and have been receiving nourishment from each other. Elephants have been most respected in our tradition. It has been considered a symbol of prosperity. It is the National Heritage Animal of India. Therefore, protecting elephants is an important part of our national responsibility to preserve our national heritage,” President Murmu said.
Why Gaj Utsav is celebrated?
The Kaziranga Gaj Utsav is an annual festival held in the national park to promote elephant conservation and protection. It is organised jointly by the forest and tourism departments to draw attention to and find solutions to the increasing human-elephant conflict in the state.
President further said that the actions which are in the interest of nature, animals and birds, are also in the interest of humanity and Mother Earth. The President also went on to say that Kaziranga and Manas National Parks of Assam are invaluable heritage not only of India but of the whole world. That is why these have been given the status of ‘World Heritage Site’ by UNESCO.
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Later on Friday, the President also flagged off the Mount Kanchenjunga Expedition 2023, at the State Guest House, Koinadhara in Assam's Guwahati district. She inaugurated the expedition by handing over the Ice-Axe Baton with National Flag and Expedition Flag.
(With inputs from agencies)
