US Air Force permits Indian-origin airman to wear Tilak while in uniform - Read about his plea here

(Credits: Twitter)

New Delhi: An Indian-origin man, who is a member of the United States Air Force, was permitted to wear a Tilak while on duty. A US Air Force airman stationed at FE Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, Darshan Shah, was allowed to wear a Tilak Chandlo while on duty as part of a religious waiver. 

According to a report in Wion, Darshan, who joined the service two years ago as an aerospace medical technician and was assigned to the 90th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron, had been pursuing a waiver from the very start of his service.

Darshan was given permission to wear a Tilak Chandlo while in uniform for the first time on February 22, 2022. 

“Wearing the Tilak Chandlo every day to work is amazing, to say it in one word,” said Shah. “People around my workplace are giving me handshakes, high-fives and congratulating me, because they know how hard I’ve tried to get this religious accommodation approved.” 

“We live in a country where we’re allowed to practice and have faith in what we want,” said the grateful aerospace medical technician.

In the meantime, he had garnered support from all across the world as word of his request for a religious waiver spread through online group chats.

"My friends from Texas, California, New Jersey, and New York are messaging me and my parents that they are very happy something like this happened in the Air Force," said Shah. 

"It’s something new. It’s something they’ve never heard of before or even thought was possible, but it happened," he added. 

"For some Airmen, displaying aspects of their religious faith is a matter of sincere personal responsibility though at times it may conflict with uniform rules and regulations. For one Mighty Ninety Airman, it means seeking a religious waiver to wear a tilak chandlo in uniform," read the statement issued by the 90th Missile Wing Chaplain Corps.