Flight Lieutenant Manjit Singh Dhillon, General Duties (Pilot), has flown a total of 1,375 hours in forward areas in less than three years. He has flown 2,305 hours on helicopter aircraft without a single accident; most of the flying was over difficult hilly terrain. On 27th March 1967, two helicopters, one of which was flown by Flight Lieutenant Dhillon, were sent out on detachment to a forward area to carry out a search and rescue mission for an Army patrol which was lost in that extensive marshy area. Flight Lieutenant Dhillon carried out a very long hazardous search of the area, which had hardly a ground feature to pinpoint and was able to locate the lost patrol. After finding a suitable spot, he landed and rescued the patrol. During his flying career, Flight Lieutenant Dhillon has worked hard to train the unit pilots. Thus, his unit has always been in a high state of operational preparedness.

Throughout, Flight Lieutenant Manjit Singh Dhillon displayed courage and devotion to duty.

During the operations against Pakistan in December, 1971, Flight Lieutenant Manjit Singh Dhillon flew 50 sorties amounting to 27.50 hours in Chhamb, Sakargarh and Poonch sectors. In the Jorian Sector, he evacuated a number of casualties on the 6th, 8th, 10th and 11th December, 1971. On the 7th December, 1971, while on a mission to the Chhamb sector, he had to take off from Udhampur airfield when enemy aircraft were in the vicinity, enroute he spotted another 9 enemy aircraft and by the time he came to Jorian, enemy’s air activity and artillery shelling was intense. He courageously and skillfully manipulated the helicopter at very low height and achieved the mission successfully. On the 10th December, 1971, he undertook sector reconnaissance flight all along the battle field and completed the task assigned to him despite heavy enemy fire. On the same day, he evacuated 15 casualties. On the 11th December 1971, he evacuated 8 casualties from quickly improvised Helipad in Shakargarh sector.

Throughout, Flight Lieutenant Manjit Singh Dhillon displayed gallantry, professional skill and devotion to duty of a high order.

Wing Commander Manjit Singh, Dhillon was commissioned in the Air Force in 1963. He has undergone advanced Helicopter courses in foreign countries and is in command of a Helicopter Base at present. He has over 4500 hours helicopter flying to his credit. He has taken part in the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak conflicts. He was awarded Vir Chakra for gallantry during Indo-Pak Conflict, 1971.

The Bhagirathi river experienced unprecedented floods during August, 1978. Wing Commander Manjit Singh Dhillon conducted the relief operations and under his guidance, 35 tons of food and other supplies were airlifted to stranded pilgrims within a short period. He also directed the evacuation of 362 old and infirm pilgrims and parties of school and college students.

Immediately after the floods in the Bhagirathi river, on the night of 3rd September, 1978, All India Radio broadcast a warning of expected floods in the areas adjoining Sharanpur, Kamal and Delhi. Wing Commander Manjit Singh Dhillon anticipated that there would be a requirement of relief operations in the Western UP area. He, therefore, immediately mounted Helicopter Flights to monitor the flow of water in the river Yamuna and, thereafter, directed relief and supply dropping missions in the Western UP and the Haryana sectors till the floods in the Yamuna receded. Throughout the period of relief operations commencing from the middle of August, 1978, till their completion in mid September, 1978, Wing Commander Dhillon worked tirelessly and it was by his singular determination and dauntless efforts tint relief was provided in the shortest possible time to the affected areas.

Throughout these operations, Wing Commander Manjit Singh Dhillon has displayed initiative, professional competence and devotion to duty of an exceptional order.