HYDERABAD: Perhaps for the first time in its existence, Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad will be receiving a rare honour, in fact, a gesture of appreciation being planned by the defence forces on Sunday, May 3rd.

Currently serving as the battlefield for doctors and medical staff fighting against the Coronavirus, the popular state-run medical facility will be given a spectacular flower petal shower from mid air. At 9:30 am on Sunday, a few helicopters of the Indian Air Force will hover above the sprawling premises of the Gandhi Hospital and begin to shower flower petals from the skies. This is the defence forces’ way of expressing their gratitude for the selfless services being rendered by the medical fraternity including doctors, nurses, attendants and other affiliated staff in treating the COVID-19 patients.

On Friday, Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat announced that the three armed services would come up with special activities on Sunday to salute the ‘COVID-19 Warriors’. These include flypasts by the Indian Air force from Srinagar to Trivandrum and another one from Dibrugarh in Assam to Kutch in Gujarat. During the flypast, the aircraft, comprising a mix of fighter and transport planes, will shower flower petals at some places.

The Indian Army will conduct mountain band displays at some COVID-19 hospitals across the country. The Indian Navy will light up its warships and some of their helicopters will also shower flower petals on hospitals.

And Gandhi Hospital happens to be the chosen one for this rare honour. It is a very small symbolic gesture for all the sacrifices being made by the medical staff in this critical time of Coronavirus pandemic. But surely, this is going to be a fitting tribute that should lighten the hearts of the medical fraternity that is relentlessly working while being away from their families and risking their lives to save thousands of lives in their regions.

Also Read: Watch: Neighbours Applaud Gandhi Hospital Doctor for Treating COVID-19 Patients