Punjab education minister Bains urges IAF to station decommissioned MiG-21s at Schools of Eminence

Punjab School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains has written to Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, appealing to the Indian Air Force (IAF) to station five recently decommissioned MiG-21 fighter jets at prominent Schools of Eminence (SoE) across the state, reported Harpreet Bajwa of The New Indian Express.

In his letter to the IAF chief, Bains wrote, “Together, we can create a living tribute to the MiG-21 and ignite the spirit of service and patriotism in our future generations,” while proposing five locations for the display of the decommissioned MiG-21 fighter jets at Ludhiana, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Nangal and Kharar.

He further stated that the initiative is aimed at inspiring thousands of state government school students to pursue careers in defence, engineering, aerospace technology and related fields.

Bains also informed that the Punjab Government plans to collaborate with the IAF for ceremonial deployment events at these schools, fostering a spirit of excellence and dedication among students. By having these iconic aircraft on campus, he expressed hope that it would motivate students daily to strive for greatness with courage and determination.While saluting the IAF for its glorious service to the nation, Bains extended warm congratulations on the recent ceremonial retirement of the MiG-21, recognising it as an icon of courage, discipline and dedication in India’s defence history. He further said that the MiG-21, which played a crucial role in the Indo-Pak War of 1965, the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and the Kargil War of 1999, would serve as a tangible reminder of its legendary legacy.He assured that the installation and display of these aircraft would be carried out with the utmost respect, under strict adherence to Indian Air Force protocols and traditions.Bains added that this initiative aligns with the Punjab Government’s focus on innovative and transformative education, having previously initiated international training programmes for school principals to raise educational standards.