Bagdogra, March 05: President Pratibha Devisingh Patil will present the President’s Standard (honour) to two units of Indian Air Force at Bagdogra IAF base, about 15 kms from Siliguri on March 9, a senior official said today.
Air Marshal and AoC-in-chief K K Nohwar told a press conference that the 44 squadron and 110 helicopter unit (HU) had the fantastic track record of bravery and operation at the hour of need.
The President, who would arrive at Bagdogra airport on March 8 evening, would halt at Siliguri circuit house at night and participate in the IAF programme at IAF station next morning.
The 44 squadron was raised on April 6, 1961 at Chandigarh.
During the Sino-India conflict in 1962, this squad surprised everyone by air-lifting tanks at Chushul at an altitude of 14,000 feet.
——-PTI