IAF helicopter pilots take part in operations to rescue residents during flooding at Rajouri, Jammu. (Agence France-Presse)
It was meant to be a chance to showcase achievements, but the union aviation ministry's 100-day press conference was overtaken by tough questions on a range of issues including the response to the Jammu and Kashmir floods.
The ministry had sent out invites on SMS and emails a day before, hoping to ensure an impressive media presence.
Reporters jostled for front seats at the aviation ministry headquarters at the Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan. It was all looking good till the press conference began.
From there, it was all downhill for Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapati Raju, who found himself confronting some thorny and uncomfortable questions. Many in the media even questioned the timing of such a press conference, when the country is dealing with disaster in Jammu and Kashmir.
Mr Raju started by talking about how flag carrier Air India had two planes ready to fly people in and out of Srinagar.
But reporters questioned - did the ministry's response come late when people had been desperately trying to get in touch with their family and friends in Srinagar since Sunday evening?
A PowerPoint presentation that started only after several glitches did not do any favours to the minister either. Or that officials clearly struggled to answer the volley of questions that came their way on a number of issues.
For instance, they had no concrete timelines to offer when asked about two crucial bills for the sector - the anti-hijacking bill that aims to broaden the definition and punishment for hijacking and the Civil Aviation Authority bill that seeks to replace the current aviation regulator with a more independent statutory body.
Amid all the noise in the room, there was a zone of silence. Minister of state G M Siddeshwara said not a word to assist his senior.