Newsmaker | Former IAF chief RKS Bhadauria, an accomplished fighter pilot, joins BJP

Former Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria joined the BJP on Sunday in the presence of Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur and party general secretary Vinod Tawde. Bhadauria said working with BJP would give him another chance at “nation-building”.

“I was lucky to work for the Indian Air Force for more than 40 years…The most golden phase was in the last eight years under this government, when tough steps were taken to strengthen and modernise the defence forces and make them self-reliant. This gave our forces new capabilities and enhanced their confidence,” said the former Air Force chief.

Welcoming Bhadauria, Thakur said: “I used to get inspired when I used to see him (Bhadauria) in uniform. When crores of young people dream of a safe and secure India, they look towards (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi ji with great hope. Officers like you (Bhadauria) have rendered their services for a long time to make India secure. Today, I feel proud that the nation is safe under Narendra Modi ji. That is why officers like you choose the BJP after retirement.”

A highly accomplished fighter pilot, Bhadauria, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, has over 4,270 hours of experience on 27 types of fighters as well as transport aircraft. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy and graduated from the Air Force Academy with the coveted “Sword of Honour”. He completed his Master’s degree in Defence Studies from Command and Staff College, Bangladesh. He was commissioned in the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in June 1980.

Bhadauria held various crucial appointments in his four-decade career with the Air Force, including commands of a frontline Jaguar Squadron and an Air Force Station in the South-Western sector.