#IndiaSalutesCoronaWarriors: Armed Forces salute corona-warriors; conduct flypasts, musical tributes, shower petals

The Indian Armed Forces, including all its three wings -- the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force -- paid tributes today to the emergency services professionals who are fighting the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak in India at the frontlines.

The act of paying tribute to these corona warriors by the armed forces included fly-pasts, playing military bands, lighting up ships at sea, and the showering of flower petals at different places across the country. The flypasts by the air force and the navy in different parts of the country including Delhi, Mumbai, Srinagar, Hyderabad, Itanagar added to the tribute.

 

 

In Delhi, IAF's Sukhoi-30 MKIs, MiG-29s, and Jaguars conducted a flypast over Rajpath and showered petals over the India Gate and Red Fort. The C-130 transport aircraft of the IAF also conducted a flypast in the national capital.

An IAF helicopter showered flower petals on the Police War Memorial in New Delhi to express gratitude to police officers busy in maintaining law and order across the country during the coronavirus pandemic.

The fighter jets from the Western Air Command of the IAF showered petals at hospitals across Delhi, including Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, and Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital.

In Mumbai, a flypast was conducted by fighter jets over the Marine Drive. The IAF choppers also dropped petals over the King Edward Memorial Hospital and Kasturba Gandhi Hospital.

The flypasts were also conducted over Srinagar's Dal Lake, Chandigarh's Sukhna Lake, and Lucknow. Flower petals were showered over King George's Medical University in Lucknow by IAF choppers as a tribute to frontline workers.

In Gujarat's Ahmedabad, IAF showered petals on hospitals and conducted a fly-past over the city and the Gujarat Assembly complex in Gandhinagar. The Navy lauded the efforts of the 'corona warriors' by illuminating its vessels along the Gujarat coast in the early hours of Sunday.

IAF fighter jets also flypast Sawai Mansingh Hospital in Rajasthan's Jaipur to express gratitude towards medical professionals engaged in the fight against COVID-19. 

An IAF Mi-17 chopper showers petals over Kolkata's Chitranjan Institute as a mark of respect and gratitude towards healthcare workers.

In Haryana, IAF choppers flew past the Panchkula Government hospital while an Army band performed underneath to salute the corona warriors. Navy helicopters showered flowers on the Goa Medical College in Panaji to thank frontline workers. An IAF chopper held flypast over SNM hospital in Leh to pay tribute to corona warriors.

Navy's INS Jalashwa in the Bay of Bengal saluted the frontline warriors against the COVID-19 pandemic by saying 'Thank You'. It is to be noted that INS Jalashwa is also one of the warships being readied by the Indian government for the evacuation of Indians from Gulf countries.

It is to be noted that these corona warriors, during this time of crisis, are risking their own lives to protect everyone else.

"During the current crisis, it is the doctors, nurses, policemen, media, sanitation workers, delivery personnel, bank employees, government employees and local store owners who have put their lives on the line to ensure that we as a nation are protected and cared for adequately," Army PRO Colonel Aman Anand was quoted as saying by ANI.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat had earlier on Friday stated that the armed forces will carry out special operations across the country on May 3 to express gratitude to the "corona warriors" who have been working at the frontlines in the fight against the pandemic.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also welcomed the announcement by CDS Rawat to have the three defence services show solidarity with 'corona warriors'.