2011-12 to be Declared Civil Aviation Centenary Year

Indian Civil Aviation is completing 100 years on 18th February, 2011. The year 2011-12 will be declared as the Civil Aviation Centenary Year, starting from 18th February, 2011 and ending on the same date in 2012. On this date in 1911, the first commercial plane flew in India between Allahabad and Naini. Since then, aviation in India has grown from strength to strength. Today India is the 9th largest civil aviation market in the world and this forward march is likely to culminate in India becoming one of the three largest markets in the world by 2020.

To commemorate the occasion, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has constituted a high level committee to be chaired by the Minister for Civil Aviation Shri Praful Patel to deliberate on the scale and the modalities of the celebrations. The committee includes former Civil Aviation Ministers Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mr. Sharad Yadav, Mr. Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Mr. Shahnawaz Hussain and Mr. Anant Kumar; eminent Indians who have contributed to Indian Civil Aviation like Mr. Rakesh Sharma, first Indian Cosmonaut, Mr. Vijaypath Singhania, Air Marshal Arjan Singh, Ms. Saudamini Deshmukh, the first lady pilot in the commander’s seat in India, Shri Satish Sharma, MP and Chairman of Aeroclub of India, Captain G. Gopinath, Shri Dipinder Hooda, MP, Shri Naveen Jindal, MP, Secretaries of the Ministries of Civil Aviation, Defence and Tourism, Chairpersons of all Indian airlines, Chairpersons of all Indian airports, CMD Pawan Hans, Chairman ISRO, representatives of Tour and Travel Operators, eminent pilots, representatives of IGRUA, NFTI, NAL, HAL, BCAS, DGCA and the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The Committee will :

· Deliberate upon the period of celebrations,

· Formulate an Action Plan for the entire year,

· Decide events which may be undertaken during the centenary years,

· Decide locations where different events may take place,

· Co-opt members to broaden the membership base,

· Locate appropriate budgetary sources to finance the celebrations,

· Assign responsibilities to individuals and institutions for the organisation of events,

· Constitute Organising Committee/s for conduct of events.

During the course of the year, the following activities are likely to be undertaken:

· Advertisement Campaigns in print and electronic media

· Air Shows

· Establishment of an Air and Space Theme Park or Museum

· Release of Stamp by HE the President of India

· Commemorative Coins

· Coffee Table Book

· Establishment of an Aviation University

· Road Shows/Exhibitions in State Capitals with smaller exhibitions at all airports

· Felicitation of eminent people who have contributed significantly to the growth of Civil Aviation in India

· Institution of Annual Civil Aviation Awards

· Air Craft Modelling competitions amongst students

· Competitions/Quiz etc on TV/FM

It is planned that the private sector, being major stakeholders in the Indian Civil Aviation, will be adopted in the celebrations as major partners.