Flight Lieutenant Manohar Gopaldas Massand has been posted to a heavy transport squadron since February, 1968. Although he is not a qualified flying instructor, he has very effectively carried out the task of screening and qualifying junior pilots. He has to his credit 4310 flying hours of which 1850 hours have been flown over the difficult and hazardous mountainous terrain of Ladakh and the Eastern Sector. On the 22nd July, 1972, he was detailed to check a junior pilot for one of the dropping zones somewhere in the Ladakh Sector. During the most critical stage of the mission, when the load was actually moving out of the aircraft, one of the engines of his aircraft failed. Flight Lieutenant Massand promptly took over the control of the aircraft and with his superior professional ability and skill, confidently and correctly handled the emergency, and thus avoided a situation which could have resulted in disaster. He completed the supply drop on three engines and later made a safe emergency landing at a forward airfield. During the Indo-Pak Conflict of 1971, he always volunteered for difficult operational missions allotted to the Unit. He took active part, in the Battalion group drops carried out in Bangladesh on the 11th and 12th December, 1971. Apart from this, he flew a number of important missions.

Throughout, Flight Lieutenant Manohar Gopaldas Massand displayed courage, professional skill and devotion to duty in the best traditions of the Air Force.