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Outgoing Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh has already been given three official farewells, including one by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh himself and his final farewell with a ceremonial guard of honour is scheduled tomorrow on his last day in office.
Senior officials said the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh gave him an official farewell on October 26 before leaving for his foreign visit, while the Air Headquarters held a farewell party for him on October 28 at the Air Force auditorium in Subroto Park. The senior Air Force commanders also held a farewell dinner for him on October 27 at the Akash Officers Mess near India Gate, they said. As part of the farewell events of the outgoing Air Force chief, he was given clearance by the Defence Ministry to fly with his first instructor in the service Wing Commander VS Kochhar, who had retired from the IAF long time ago from service. For any civilian or retired personnel to be allowed to fly in a military aircraft, special permissions have to be taken from the Defence Ministry at very high levels. The officials said the final farewell to the outgoing IAF Chief would be a ceremonial Guard of Honour to be held at the Air Force Station, New Delhi, which is situated in front of the Prime Ministers residence at the Lok Kalyan Marg. The officials clarified that the golfing out was only an unofficial farewell. ACM AP Singh is known in the Air Force for his love for squash. The officials remarks on the official farewell for the outgoing Air Force chief have come at a time when some people are suggesting that the Air Chief was being denied a farewell as the land of the Air Force Golf course was taken over by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, because of which the golfing out event could not be held. ACM AP Singh is superannuating tomorrow after a 25-month tenure. Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit would be taking over as the new Chief of the Air Staff tomorrow. (ANI)
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