Watch: President Murmu Takes Sortie on Sukhoi 30 MKI Fighter Aircraft

President Murmu is the third President after APJ Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil to undertake such a sortie.

President Droupadi Murmu took a  historic sortie in a Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam on Saturday, 8 April. 

(Photo: Twitter/@rashtrapatibhvn)

Video Producer/Editor: Shohini Bose

President Droupadi Murmu took a  historic sortie in a Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam on Saturday, 8 April. 

She is the third President after APJ Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil to undertake such a sortie. Her predecessors, however, had taken their rides from the Pune air base.

After sitting in the cockpit, a woman officer helped her put on the helmet and complete other technicalities. She waved from the cockpit just seconds before the aircraft canopy was shut.

Group Captain Naveen Kumar Tiwari flew her in a Sukhoi-30 MKI that took off from the Indian Air Force base in Tezpur, Assam. 

The President was also briefed on the operational capabilities of the aircraft and the Indian Air Force (IAF).

She expressed satisfaction on the operational preparedness of the IAF.

The President flew for about 30 minutes covering the Brahmaputra and Tezpur valley.

The aircraft flew at a height of about two kms above sea level and at a speed of about 800 km per hour.

The Sukhoi-30 MKI is a twin-seater multirole fighter jet developed by Russia's Sukhoi and built under license by aerospace giant Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

Expressing her appreciation, President Droupadi Murmu wrote in the visitor’s book, "I congratulate the Indian Air Force and the entire team of the Air Force Station Tezpur for organising this sortie."