On the night of 31st May, 1973, a Boeing 737 aircraft of Indian Airlines crashed near residential area of Vasant Vihar, New Delhi. At approximately 2150 hours that night, Flight Lieutenant Anil Kumar Dogra, who was passing by that way in his car, noticed a bright red glow in the area. Instinctively, he assumed that it was an air crash as the glow was in the approach funnel of Delhi airport. He immediately turned his car in the direction of the glow and drove in the total darkness over the rocky terrain until he could see the origin of the glow.

On reaching the scene of the crash, Flight Lieutenant Dogra found the wreckage of the burning aircraft was scattered over a large area. With complete disregard for his personal safety, he proceeded to extricate victims of the crash from the burning wreckage. He personally rescued eight out of seventeen survivors and moved them to a safe distance. Inspired by his example, some villagers who had collected at the site also began to help him. He then rushed three persons, who were in critical condition, to the Army Hospital, Delhi Cantonment in his car for timely medical aid. He immediately returned to the scent of the accident to help on evacuation of other victims. He thus took prompt action and saved the lives of many passengers.

In this action, Flight Lieutenant Anil Kumar Dogra displayed gallantry and initiative of a high order.