Group Captain Sachin Tendulkar dropped as IAF ambassador

Star cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has been dropped as the brand ambassador of the Indian Air Force (IAF) after a two-year association. If an India Today report is to be believed, the IAF will now use images of the basic trainer aircraft Pilatus to attract more personnel. It seems that the association with Tendulkar did not quite work out. A deal has already been struck with Switzerland and 14 of the 75 ordered Pilatus aircrafts have already reached India, with pilots starting to train with them in Hyderabad. [caption id=“attachment_958917” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Sachin was conferred with the honorary rank of Group Captain for his achievements in cricket. Reuters[/caption] Sachin was conferred with the honorary rank of Group Captain for his achievements in cricket — making him the first sportsperson and the first person with no aviation background to be given a rank by the IAF. The IAF had hoped that Sachin’s image in the Air Force uniform would motivate the younger generation to enroll and serve the nation. Read the full India Today report here.