MiG-21 Farewell: Squadron Leader Priya Sharma To Script History As IAF’s Iconic Jet Retires After 62 Years of Service

Chandigarh: The iconic MiG-21 fighter jets, which glorified India’s air power for over six decades, will take their final bow on September 26, 2025, with a grand farewell at Chandigarh Air Force Station. This is the very base where MiG-21 fighter jets were inducted into the Indian Air Force for the first time in 1963. The ceremony will mark the official end of MiG-21 operations in the Indian Air Force (IAF). 

As the supersonic jet bids goodbye, Squadron Leader Priya Sharma, one of the IAF’s few woman fighter pilots, will be part of the ceremonial fly-past.

Who Is Squadron Leader Priya Sharma?

Priya Sharma, a 2018 graduate of the Air Force Academy, Dundigal, is the seventh woman fighter pilot of the IAF. Commissioned as a Flying Officer by then Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, she emerged as the only woman fighter pilot in her batch.

Born in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district, Priya followed her father’s footsteps into the Indian Air Force. An engineer by training, she began her career at Hakimpet Air Force Station, later moving to Bidar Air Force Station for fighter training.

Earlier this year, Priya Sharma flew formation during farewell sorties at Nal Air Force Station, Bikaner, further cementing her name in the MiG-21 legacy.

MiG-21 Farewell Ceremony: What’s In The Plan

1. The farewell ceremony tomorrow will see the last operational MiG-21 squadron - Number 23 Panthers - perform a water cannon salute and ceremonial formations before decommissioning.
2. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh will be flying the final MiG-21 sortie with call sign ‘Badal 3’. 
3. Jets of No. 23 Squadron Panthers to perform flypasts in Badal and Panther formations.
4. Akash Ganga skydiving team to kick off the show with jumps from 8,000 feet.
5. Surya Kiran aerobatic team to showcase breathtaking exercises.
6. Water cannon salute for the jets on their final landing.
7. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will attend the MiG-21 farewell ceremony in Chandigarh as Chief Guest. He will also release a commemorative postal stamp to mark the occasion.

A Journey of 6 Long Decades

Inducted in 1963 under the command of then Wing Commander (later IAF Chief) Dilbagh Singh, the Soviet-designed MiG-21 became India’s first supersonic fighter. Over 870 aircraft entered service which shaped India’s air prowess in the 1965 and 1971 wars, the 1999 Kargil conflict, and the 2019 Balakot airstrikes.

Yet, the service of MiG-21 has been overshadowed by tragedies. Reportedly, more than 400 crashes have claimed 200 pilots and 60 civilians, earning the jet the grim titles like ‘Flying Coffin’ and ‘Widow Maker’.

Chandigarh: MiG-21 Journey To End Where It Began

Chandigarh holds a special place in the history of MiG-21. The first MiG-21 squadron - No. 28 First Supersonics - was formed under Dilbagh Singh in 1963. From the same Air Force Station, generations of IAF pilots got trained on the aircraft and many of them later played crucial roles in air defence.

Now, six decades later, Chandigarh will once again witness the MiG-21’s thunder, but this time for the very last time. 

The IAF, in a recent post, hailed the MiG-21 as a ‘national warhorse’ that carried the pride of the nation into the skies for six decades.

With Rafales, Sukhois, and Tejas Mk-1A taking charge, the MiG-21 will step aside. However, its legacy will continue to inspire generations.