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Squadron Leader Saurabh Raghuvanshi
| Service No & Branch | 27955 F(P) |  | |||||||
| Date of Birth: | Commissioned: 19 Jun 2004 | Course: 173 Course | |||||||
| Service End: | Died in Service 27 May 2014 Aircraft Accident | Nick Name : | |||||||
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| Google the Bharat Rakshak Website for : "S Raghuvanshi" | |||||||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) | ||||
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| Sqn Ldr | Saurabh Raghuvanshi | 27955 F(P) | Award Date 26 Jan 2015 | Announced 26 Jan 2015 |
| Details : | Squadron Leader Saurabh Raghuvanshi (27955) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned in IAF on 19 Jun 2004. He was on the posted strength of Bison Squadron wef 16 Dec 2013 at Air Force Station Srinagar. He is a CAT 'B' instructor and had over 1450 hours of service flying to his credit. On 27 May 14, the officer 'was planned to fly as No.4 in a four aircraft strike mission towards Exercise Talon in WAC AOR. The mission was flown to validate the efficacy of Low Level Light Weight Radar (LLLW) air defence preparedness against enemy raids. Having flown the route through the Himalayas and the Pir Panjal valleys, the trail element, with Squadron Leader Raghuvanshi as the wingrnan, entered Srinagar valley with an aim to strike Awantipur airfield and descended to low levels. During the final run-in towards the target, a tactical action towards left was ordered approximately 10 km short of Awantipur airfield. Almost simultaneously, Squadron Leader Raghuvanshi experienced a bird hit on the front windshield of his canopy. The bird impact was so hard that it broke the windshield and impacted his face. The face injury nearly incapacitated him. In spite of the-serious injury and critical time available to him due to the extreme low altitude, he visualized the future flight path of the aircraft that would have killed numerous villagers on ground causing loss of lives and property. Without fearing for his own life, he courageously steered the aircraft away from the village and ejected in a clear area. The precious time lost in this effort of saving lives and upholding the virtues of 'service-before-self' resulted in the life saving mechanism of the ejection system not getting sufficient time to operate successfully. The brave pilot succumbed to the injuries instantaneously on impacting the ground. The officer has displayed exceptional valour, professional skills and unparalleled leadership in the face of extreme danger. He saved numerous innocent lives of his countrymen and national property by his heroic act. For this act of exceptional courage and supreme sacrifice, Hon'ble President is pleased to award Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry), posthumously to Squadron Leader Saurabh Raghuvanshi. | |||
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| Reference : Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
Accidents and Incidents: 1
| Date | Aircraft Type | Tail No | Pilot/Crew | Unit | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 May 2014 | MiG-21 Bison | Sqn Ldr Saurabh Raghuvanshi + | 51 Sqn | Bird Hit near Awanti |
The data in the header section of this page comes from the Gazette of India - Click here to see the source
The URL for this page is http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/27955
Note: All the data available here is publicly available in the Gazette of India, published by the Indian Government, or from public domain sources, press releases about Awards and Right-To-Information (RTI) Requests. Additionally data shared by veterans is added to the page with permission. No data with respect to serving officers below the rank of AVM is displayed. Information in Gazette of India and Award citations and photographs as released by the Indian Air Force are the only details displayed.