New Delhi, Dec. 17 -- Securing an impressive 97 percentile in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), many would have set their sights on the country's premier engineering institutes. But for Delhi-based Siddharth Mann, the lure of a coveted college seat paled before a lifelong dream of donning the blue uniform.
That aspiration took shape when he was commissioned into the Indian Air Force after passing out at the Combined Graduation Parade of the 216th Course at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, Hyderabad.
Inspired by a strong family connection to the armed forces, Mann's interest in aviation, particularly in flying a fighter jet, developed at a young age. His uncle, a former MiG-21 pilot, played a pivotal role in shaping his aspirations....