Air Commodore Victor Srihari as the Commandant of the Air force Flying College, Jodhpur was personally responsible for all air operations undertaken from this airfield during the fighting against Pakistan in September, 1965. The Flying College is primarily meant for imparting elementary flying training to various categories of aircrew. The sudden outbreak of hostilities and the enemy air activities in the Rajasthan-Sindh sector posed an unprecedented problem for this Air Officer as his Station had neither the personnel nor the aircraft and equipment to undertake any effective air operations, particularly against aircraft of superior performance of the Pakistani Air Force. In spite of these problems, Air Commodore Srihari rose to the occasion and through constant processes of improvisation and ingenuity organised the basic nucleus of an air defence force to counter the menacing threat from the raiding Pakistani aircraft. Through personal example he encouraged the pilot instructors of the College to readjust themselves to the operational conditions in a very short time and take to the air both by day and night.

As the operations progressed, the newly established operational force at Jodhpur under the command of Air Commodore Srihari started flying on missions of a diverse nature. Armed reconnaissance sorties were flown over the battle areas and into the enemy territories for provding vital information so badly required for the operations by the Army in Western Rajasthan. These armed reconnaissance missions were personally planned, controlled and managed by this Air Officer to ensure their utmost effectiveness in the face of superior enemy air potential. Fully aware of the limitation of his force he planned these operations in such manner that the frequent patrols by superior enemy aircraft could not do any effective damage to any our reconnaissance aircraft in this sector.

To counter the enemy air raids over Jodhpur and the surrounding areas a fine air defence team was organized by the Air officer and this force contributed to a large extent towards reducing the effectiveness, intensity and accuracy of Pakistani bombing at Jodhpur and the surrounding areas where our army units were operating. This fighter force operated by both day and night although they had very little training for night operations. In the offensive role also, the operational team under this gallant officer inflicted damage on enemy ground targets including some helicopters in spite of very stiff opposition from the enemy.

The overall contribution of Air Commodore Victor Srihari towards the air operation in Rajasthan-Sindh sector has been very commendable.

During the operations against Pakistan, Squadron Leader Inder Jeet Singh Parmar carried out sixteen operational sorties out of which seven were low-level reconnaissance missions over enemy concentrations. During these missions, he operated at the extreme limits of the aircraft’s radius of action, very often under enemy anti-aircraft and medium machine gun fire. In one of the sorties, he inflicted heavy damage to an enemy helicopter on the ground. He also carried out nine night air patrols. On the night 14th September 1965 he flew four combat sorties in quick succession after having done a tactical reconnaissance sortie in the afternoon. Single-handed, he succeeded in obstructing enemy bomber and putting them off their bombing aim on our airfield and vital radar installations. In two cases, he chased the enemy bombers away, before they could drop their bombs.

In these operations, Squadron Leader Inder Jeet Singh Parmar displayed commendable courage and remarkable flying skill.