New Delhi: Air Force Record Office (AFRO) celebrated 80th anniversary of it’s formation with ceremonial fervour at Subroto Park, New Delhi. Senior serving and retired officers were present to celebrate the event.
The Air Officer Commanding AFRO, Air Commodore AR Shendye VM delivered a performance status report as a prelude to the ceremony. He also gave a gist of the events being undertaken to commemorate the event. The activities included inauguration of the AFRO History Cell and Museum by Air Vice Marshal GS Bedi VM VSM, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (PO), a Musical Evening being graced by Air Vice Marshal S Ravi Vridhachalem VM VSM, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (PA&C), Mini Sports Olympiad, Walkathon (for ladies), Marathon (for men), Painting Competition (for children), Cycling Expedition, Tree Plantation and Blood Donation Camp.
The highlight of the evening would be the release of a Coffee Table Book titled ‘AFRO Through the Ages’ by Air Marshal RaghunathNambiar PVSM AVSM VM & Bar ADC, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command.
The AFRO can justifiably take pride in being one of the oldest IAF formations. After its formation as IAF Record Office at Ambala in 1939, it changed several locations such as Lahore in 1941, Bombay in 1942, Madras in 1946 and New Delhi in 1947 before finding its permanent location at Subroto Park in 1966. During its eight decades of existence, its growth has been closely interlinked with that of the IAF. Initially handling the end to end HR management of only 14100 Hawai Sepoys in 1947, today it has grown into a mammoth institution looking after nearly 1,43,000 Air Warriors. Its aim now is to automate all manual processes and reduce paper movement between outlying field units and AFRO, thereby enhancing transparency and accountability. The skilled and dedicated personnel of ‘Team AFRO’ follow the IAF tenet of “Mission, Integrity & Excellence” in the discharge of their duties so that the IAF touches the sky with glory.
