A Salute to the Sky: MiG-21's Final Flight and Legacy

As India bids adieu to the MiG-21 fighter jet, the skies above Chandigarh marked the end of an era on Friday. After six decades of unwavering service, the MiG-21 took its final flypast, an emotional farewell for many who have spent their careers flying this iconic aircraft.

Squadron Leader SS Tyagi, noted for having logged the highest flying hours on this aircraft, attributed 80% of the victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak war to the MiG-21. Tyagi commended the aircraft for its role in executing rocketry and gunnery missions, asserting its significance in training subsequent generations of pilots.

Reflecting on the aircraft's vast legacy, Group Captain Malik (Retd.) expressed a deep sense of nostalgia. Having dedicated 24 years to flying all MiG-21 versions, he described the fighter jet as incomparable in its category. The versatile MiG-21 has played a vital role in numerous operations and fostered decades of aircraft advancement in India.

(With inputs from agencies.)