Air Chief Marshal Idris Hasan Latif

Birth Centenary
Air Chief Marshal Idris Hasan Latif
Birth: 09 Jun 1923 in Hyderabad, India

Indian Air Force pilot (1942: RIAF / IAF), he was a Veteran of the World War, and the Chief of Air Staff (1978 to 1981), credited for the induction of Jaguar, MiG-23 and MiG-25 aircraft. His wife, Bilkees was engaged in social welfare work.

Son of a civil engineer with the Hyderabad State, and an alumnus of Nizam College, he joined the RIAF, undertook operational missions during World War and was briefly deputed to the RAF. During the Burma Campaign, he served with Sqn Ldr Asghar Khan (No 9 Squadron), who later became the Chief of PAF.

Post-independence, he elected to remain in India, and worked to modernise the IAF, earning a PVSM in Jan 1971. When the War started, he was Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Plans at AHQ. He is also credited for the procurement of Jaguar, MiG-23 and MiG-25 aircraft.

After retiring in 1981, he was appointed Governor of Maharashtra, and also served as Indian ambassador to France.

His wife, Bilkees I Latif was a noted social worker and recipient of Padma Shri award. She wrote his biography, The Ladder of His Life (2013).

On 25 Aug 81, IAF’s mighty Mig-25 flew its first sortie. Wg Cdr AJ Singh, CO, 102 Sqn and CAS, ACM Idris Latif were the pilots in its maiden flight. Mig-25, ‘Garuda’, is one of the fastest fighters ever to have entered military service.

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