Mangaluru: A riveting display of patriotism by various stakeholders marked the 77th Independence Day celebration at Mangaluru International Airport on Tuesday. If the airport security group of CISF as is their wont displayed an impeccable sense of discipline in their routine, other participants matched this zest with a display of their talent in their own way, much to the delight of the large gathering. It was a mixture of cultural, individual and group talent that was on display.
The showstoppers undoubtedly were the quartet of Max, Ranger, Julie and Goldie, the adroit canine squad of CISF. If Ranger dazzled with his speed and dexterity through the obstacle course, Goldie wowed the crowd with his sense of discipline in handing over a flower basked to the Kishore Alva, the chief guest. Max with his handler Chandrashekar showed how the duo operate in sync to thwart adversaries, while Julie showed her keen sense of sniffing out trouble.
The CISF personnel gave a demonstration of their fitness with a crisp display of yoga in perfect synchronization of body and mind. Patriotic songs and dance by airline staff, an ode to fallen comrades in uniform by a CISF officer, dance by children of airport staff was a perfect example of the diverse talents that abound at the small world that an airport is. Face painting that saw the Indian tricolor come alive on bright faces and this was the added attraction of the day.
The guests led by Kishore Alva earlier paid tributes at the martyr’s memorial to kickstart the hour-long celebration. Alva recalled the role that the airport plays in nation-building and outlined steps taken by the management to make it the safest and much sought-after airport in India. The guests distributed prizes to winners of carrom and volleyball events organized in the run-up to the Independence Day event to foster greater camaraderie.
