The LCA scoop and a flight down memory lane!

The Times of India Page 1 report on LCA, December 28, 2000, by this blogger. This report was a scoop, then.

Memories shall stay on for ever: The above clipping is from The Times of India (December 28, 2000)  Page 1 scoop written by this blogger, on the possible first flight of LCA.Though Dr Kota Harinarayana and his team tried their best to fly LCA before Year 2000 bid farewell, bad weather played spoilsport. However, 6-days after this report in TOI, Wg Cdr Rajeev Kothiyal flew LCA on January 4, 2001 marking a new-era in Indian military aviation. Celebrated journalist late Allen Mendonca, who was the Chief Reporter in TOI then, called this blogger, much junior to him, and said: "Hey kiddo, for ages we have been writing LCA will fly and LCA will not fly, every time we had to suddenly file additional stories due to more space. Here comes a boy, who finally, took off on LCA to every body's surprise. Good job. The beer is on me, today." Allen's influence and backing of another senior journalist of TOI Jayanth Kodkani, had a huge impact on this blogger then, which resulted in the launch of a series on Team LCA, who were until then, butchered by national media and 'self-styled' defence experts and writers. Today, after more than a decade, it's a matter of great pride for an Indian defense journalist to see, Tejas inching closer to its initial operational clearance."Dear Allen, your kiddo is still writing on LCA!"