Former Air Chief Marshal Hrushikesh Moolgaonkar, who had the honour of leading the fly-past on Independence day in 1947, passed away here after a prolonged illness.
95-year-old Moolgaonkar died at the Command Hospital here last night where he was admitted on March 29. He is survived by a son and a daughter. An exceptionally skilled pilot, Moolgaonkar, who took over as the Air Chief in 1976, retired in 1978 after a distinguished service of 38 years.
His competence as an ace pilot manifested as he flew 67 types of aircraft during his long span in the IAF. Moolgaonkar had led the fly-past on August 15, 1947, and also on January 26, 1951, the Republic Day, when he was a Squadron Leader, a Defence release said.
Moolgaonkar was the captain of the first flight of four Ouragan fighters flown to India from France.
At that time he became the first Indian to fly faster than sound, flying a Mystere-II fighter Bomber in 1951. He was commissioned in the Royal Indian Air Force in 1940.
