SRINAGAR: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has approved the promotion of two of its senior pilots to the position of 2-star generals. They belong to the same school in Nagrota and one each is from Kashmir and Jammu.
Identified as Hilal Ahmad Rather and Kirti Khajuria, the two top pilots were classmates and joined the IAF almost at the same time. Rather is from south Kashmir and Kirti is from a Udhampur village. Kirti is currently posted at IAF Hq in Delhi. Rather is still in Paris as India’s military attache. He had a role in the Rafale purchase and the weaponisation of the fighter craft. Post-promotion Rather will now be flying to Delhi and serve at the headquarters.
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Both Kirti and Rather are from the 1978 batch of the Sainik School Nagrota. The promotion of the two pilots to the almost-top status has excited their classmates, some of whom are serving the Jammu and Kashmir government at different levels.
