BD Jayal Part 1: From a cadet to one of India's first MiG-21 pilots

This week's interview is Part 1 of a 2-part interview with a legend of the IAF, Air Marshal BD Jayal. From a Tiger Moth to Mirage 2000 and everything in between, Air Marshal Jayal has flown it, 77 types and 4,200 hours, in fact. In Part 1 we discuss his early experiences flying Toofanis and Mysteres, converting to the MiG-21 in the Soviet Union as part of the first batch of Indians to train there, and becoming a test pilot.
 

Part 2, covering Jaguar induction, Defence procurement, the Indian threat environment, etc., will come out next week.
 

Air Marshal Jayal's profile is here: http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/4972

A compilation of his writings in the Times of India are here, 
and in the Telegraph are here.