IAF chief says war widow Priyanka Saxena to be trained, reinstated as Squadron Leader

Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh confirmed on Saturday that the service will comply with the Supreme Court's orders to reinstate former officer and war widow Priyanka Saxena. The court's decision mandates her to undergo medical examination and receive the necessary soldier training before her reinstatement as a Squadron Leader.

The Supreme Court recently directed the IAF to reinstate her, invoking its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution. Saxena had served for 10 years in the logistics branch before leaving the service in December 2013 due to family commitments. She later wedded Wing Commander Harshit Sinha, a fighter pilot who perished in a MiG-21 Bison crash near Jaisalmer on December 24, 2021.

Following her husband's death, Saxena sought re-induction into the IAF under policies intended for war widows (Veer Naris), but encountered legal obstacles and a 2024 unfavorable ruling from the Armed Forces Tribunal. However, the Supreme Court overturned the tribunal's decision last month, noting that Saxena qualified under two grounds – as a former experienced service officer and as a war widow. Consequently, she did not need to repeat the full initial pre-commission training.

When asked about recent cases of IAF officers being potentially enticed, the IAF chief replied that while there have been instances of such occurrences, due process was adhered to in each case. However, he declined to comment further on these matters, as some cases are currently under judicial review. He emphasized that he sensitizes his officers against falling prey to such enticements.