Date:19/08/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/19/stories/2007081951780300.htm

Kerala - Alappuzha

IAF top brass on pleasure cruise in Alappuzha

Staff Reporter

They were in Thiruvananthapuram for the IAF conclave

Air power on water: Air Chief Marshal F.H. Major, who arrived with 16 Air Marshals of the Indian Air Force in Alappuzha on Saturday, on a houseboat prior to a pleasure trip.

ALAPPUZHA: In what could be one of the most high profile boat cruises on the backwaters of Alappuzha, the entire top brass of the Indian Air Force landed here on Saturday for a pleasure trip.

According to Rainbow Cruises, which is hosting the dignitaries, the ‘contingent’ is led by Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Fali H. Major, and comprises 16 Air Marshals, including the heads of the seven Air Force commands along with their spouses.

The Air Force officials, who were in Thiruvananthapuram for the IAF conclave hosted for the first time by the Southern Air Command, will spend the night on six houseboats of Rainbow Cruises and will disembark at Kumarakom in Kottayam on Sunday morning.

Visiting dignitaries

The list of dignitaries includes Air Chief Marshal F.H. Major and Zareen Major, Air Commodore T.K. Nair and Air Marshals A.V. Vaidya, N.A.K. Browne, G.S. Chaudhry, J.N. Burma, P.V. Naik, Y.R. Rane, P.K. Barbora, G. Nayyar, P.P. Rajkumar, K.D. Singh, J.K. Gupta, J.S. Apte, V.R. Iyer and V.K. Verma.