Father-daughter duo creates history by flying Hawk sortie together in Karnataka
Bidar, Jul 5: A father-daughter duo has created history in the Indian Air Force (IAF), when they flew in the same formation here recently, IAF said on Tuesday.
There has not been any previous instance in the IAF where a father and his daughter were part of the same formation for a mission, an official release said.
Air Commodore Sanjay Sharma and his daughter Ananya flew in the same formation recently.
"The father-daughter duo created history on 30 May 2022, when they flew in the same formation of Hawk-132 aircraft at Air Force Station Bidar, where Flying Officer Ananya Sharma is undergoing her training before she graduates onto faster and more superior fighter aircraft of the IAF," the release said.
"There has not been any previous instance in the IAF where a father and his daughter were part of the same fighter formation for a mission," it added.
It was the mission where the two were more than just father and daughter. "They were comrades, who had full faith in each other as fellow wingmen would," the release stated.
Air Commodore Sanjay Sharma was commissioned in the fighter stream of the IAF in 1989. He has had extensive experience of fighter operations, having commanded a Mig-21 squadron as well as a frontline fighter station.
Having completed her B Tech in Electronics and Communication, Ananya was selected for training for the flying branch of IAF. She was commissioned as a fighter pilot in December 2021, the release said.
There has not been any previous instance in @IAF_MCC where #fatherdaughter hv been part of same #Fighter formation in a #mission
— PRO Defence Gujarat (@DefencePRO_Guj) July 5, 2022
Air Cmde Sanjay & Fg Offr Ananya were more than just father & daughter....they were comrades who had full faith in each other as fellow wingmen would pic.twitter.com/kUUzIZzbxO
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Parliament passes Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025
New Delhi (PTI): Parliament early Friday passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after it was approved by the Rajya Sabha.
The Lok Sabha had on Thursday approved the Bill after over a 12-hour debate.
In Rajya Sabha, the Bill got 128 votes in its favour and 95 against after all the amendments moved by the opposition were rejected.
In the lower house, the bill was supported by 288 MPs while 232 voted against it.
Participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Bill was brought with a number of amendments based on suggestions given by various stakeholders.
"The Waqf Board is a statutory body. All government bodies should be secular," the minister said, explaining the inclusion of non-Muslims on the board.
He, however, said the number of non-Muslims has been restricted to only four out of 22.
Rijiju also alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties, and not the BJP, were trying to scare Muslims with the Waqf Bill.
"You (opposition) are pushing Muslims out of the mainstream," he added.
He said for 60 years, the Congress and others ruled the country, but did not do much for Muslims and the community continues to live in poverty.
"Muslims are poor, who is responsible? You (Congress) are. Modi is now leading the government to uplift them," the minister said.
According to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Waqf tribunals will be strengthened, a structured selection process will be maintained, and a tenure will be fixed to ensure efficient dispute resolution.
As per the Bill, while Waqf institutions' mandatory contribution to Waqf boards is reduced from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, Waqf institutions earning over Rs 1 lakh will undergo audits by state-sponsored auditors.
A centralised portal will automate Waqf property management, improving efficiency and transparency.
The Bill proposes that practising Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate their property to the Waqf, restoring pre-2013 rules.
It stipulates that women must receive their inheritance before the Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women and orphans.
The Bill proposes that an officer above the rank of collector investigate government properties claimed as Waqf.
It also proposes that non-Muslim members be included in the central and state Waqf boards for inclusivity.
