TRIBUTE Wg Cdr Kukke Srikantasastry Suresh, VrC (Retd.) December 12, 1941 - January 9, 2004 INDIAN AVIATION

Mr. Pulak Sen, Editor - INDIAN AVIATION:

I had the good fortune of having Kukke Suresh on its Editorial Board for a short span of exactly two years. I vividly remember the day I met him. On a visit to Bangalore, I was invited to lunch by Air Marshal Wollen at the Ranjit Singhji Institute (RSI) on M. G. Road one afternoon. Group Capt. Kapil Bhargava (Retd) was also present on the occasion. I remember we were all sitting on the veranda of the club sipping our beers and gins, when a tall, lanky, handsome man smartly attired in white sports shirt and shorts approached us with a radiant smile on his face. I was introduced to him by the Air Marshal, who gave a brief background of this person and suggested that my magazine could consider having articles written by him. I readily agreed and our association started.

Kukke's first submission to the magazine was an Update on HAL and an interview with its Chairman, Mr. N. R. Mohanty in the February 2002 issue. The issue coincided with the Asian Aerospace 2002 at Singapore and was well received. All his articles, whether on military or civil aspects of aviation, were well received by our readers because Kukke was well versed with both.

Kukke Suresh about to fly a Vampire T66 Trainer - This is before the 1971 War

I had the good fortune of being on a trip to the UK with him. We were attending Farnborough International. As it was a peak season, we were booked on a Royal Jordan flight to London with a stopover at Amman. Quite an eventful flight, I must say! Kukke had arrived the previous evening in Bombay from Bangalore and as our flight to Amman was at around 7 in the morning, Kukke wanted to stay in the airport all night. With much persuasion I could put him in a hotel room for the night. I was surprised when I went to pick him in the early morning, he was up and shining and anxiously waiting for my arrival at the lobby.

During our long journey to London via Amman, we got to know each other well. This is where he told me some interesting stories, including the one on the Jaguar. After our night-halt at Amman we checked in at the Queen Alia Airport and to our surprise we were told by the airline to board a flight to London via Vienna. At the Austrian capital, Kukke rushed in and out of shops selling music CDs. He was happy to visit, though per chance, the birth pace of one of the maestros of Western Classical music. He enlightened me on this subject with his vast knowledge.

Our misfortune did not leave us at Vienna. When we arrived London in the night, we were told that our baggage was left behind at Amman. We not only had to spend the night in our hotel rooms in our birthday suits, but also could not attend the opening of the Farnborough Air Show. The only silver lining in this situation was the humour of Kukke, which kept us going.

During Aero India 2003, not only Kukke made it a point to go to the show every morning to Yelahanka, but also visited our editorial office in Indira Nagar after the show to write his piece, which he could well have finished at his own home. He was a great admirer of the young team of INDIAN AVIATION. He and his wife, Usha at the end of the air show, invited the entire team to their house for drinks and tea. Both Kukke and Usha, very young at heart, mingled with the young crowd at much ease.

Kukke's valued contributions included articles on new aeronautical development projects, Institute of Aerospace Medicine of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and his personal experience of the 1971 Longewala Battle. But his heart was in flight safety to ensure that operators of aircraft would never be exposed to unnecessary risk in flight. His dissertation on the safety of the MiG-21 aircraft stands out as a definitive document. Air Marshal MSD Wollen (Retd) in his own words describes how a Jaguar aircraft was saved from destruction.

There are so many memories about Kukke that I cherish while writing this piece. But I shall restrict myself to this last one. During the last days of his illness, Kukke used to call us up at Bombay on a regular basis and discuss many things. During one such call, I asked him to contribute an article on Air Safety, which later came to be his last one for the magazine! He as usual said, "No Problem!" I was unaware till I met Usha sometime later the pains he had taken to key in the article on the computer to send it ahead of the deadline.

May his soul rest in peace. Our thoughts go out to his family, especially to wife, daughter and mother.

Other friends and relatives who wished to join us in paying a tribute to Wg Cdr Suresh have expressed their feelings in their own words.

Wg Cdr Suresh's first cousin, Dr Shiv Shankar Sastry says,

"From a very early age he was fascinated by aircraft, and even as a boy would run outside his house to see if he heard an aircraft overhead. He completed his schooling in Bangalore and in college he joined the NCC Air Wing. He was selected to join the IAF and topped the qualifying examination. "Kukke" Suresh was commissioned into the IAF in 1962. He served in the IAF until 1983. He distinguished himself in the Air Force as an outstanding pilot and leader, and was awarded the Vir Chakra for shooting down a PAF Sabre over Talhar airfield in Pakistan in the 1971 war. He was also one among the small group of pilots who took part in the Longewala action in 1971, which thwarted the ambitious Pakistani attack across the Thar Desert.

"After retiring from the Air Force he joined HAL and rendered yeoman service in the field of Flight Safety and accident investigation, and helped bring about greater understanding between HAL and the IAF. After his retirement from HAL, Suresh remained active, playing tennis and golf, while he kept himself busy as an aviation journalist, writing for "Indian Aviation". He died after a valiant battle against cancer". (Click here to read the full tribute along with Photo Album by Dr Shiv Shankar Sastry)

Air Marshal Philip Rajkumar (Retd) was a contemporary of Wg Cdr Suresh and a very close friend. He says,

"Kuki Suresh and I went to the Air Force Flying College, as the Air Force Academy was then known, in July 1961 to undergo flying training with the 82nd Pilots Course.

Flight Cadet Suresh about to fly Texan T6 in intermediate training stage - May 1962

When we reached the Intermediate stage of training on the T6-Texan, we had the same instructor, Fg Offr.S Chakravorthy. Kuki was a far better flier than I was at that stage as he was a naturally gifted flier. At the Jet Training Wing at Hakimpet we shared a room in the cadets' mess and again a common instructor: Sqn Ldr Eric Allen (later AVM). We were neck to neck in ground subjects but Kuki's flying was so much better that he easily won the President's Plaque for the Best All Round Cadet when we were commissioned on 10th November 1962.

"After the applied stage he was posted to a Hunter 56 Sqn.(No 17) and I went to a Toofani Sqn (No 47), both based at Kalaikunda. In mid 1963 we parted company and went our separate ways till Oct 1977 when we were Flight Commanders in two different Mig-21 Sqns at Pathankot. We flew together in the MiG Trainer on many occasions. Kuki by then had honed his flying skills to an art form. He seemed to gently and effortlessly coax the aircraft to do his bidding. His smoothness and precision were unbelievable. He had a vast reservoir of theoretical aspects of flying and gunnery.

We assumed command of two MiG squadrons on the same day - 23 Oct 1978. It was during his Sqn Cdrs tenure that his medical problem with his back started and he had to leave the Air Force to start a second career in HAL in Flight Safety.& Operations. His flying experience and technical knowledge served him and HAL very well and he retired as a General Manager in 2001. During all those years we remained very good friends and discussed all aircraft accidents with great professional interest. I was always amazed by Kuki's painstaking research into the technical aspects of accidents. Kuki was an honest broker between the IAF and HAL and called a spade a spade, sometimes drawing flak from both sides. He remained true to his values till the end of his career and retired with his reputation and integrity intact.

"He rang me up in June 2003 to tell me about his illness. He fought his battle with cancer like a true air warrior-with courage, dignity and stoicism. His passing away has left a void in my consciousness, which will be impossible to fill as we had done so many things together during our early years in the IAF. May his soul rest in peace".

Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy, Chief of Air Staff, (Kitcha to his friends, including Suresh) remembers him,

" Kuki-Suresh, Kuki-Sastry, Kuki....., that's what many close friends called him. When he walked in, attention shifted to him, be in an office, on the tarmac or even at a social gathering. A powerful and a most charming personality, very endearing to his friends and those under his wings. Handsome, towering yet gentle and soft-spoken. Always ready with a broad smile, attentive, a good listener. 'No Problem' is a phrase that he used so often with a solution that dodged the most.

"Quite demanding he could be, obstinate some may say - his belief was unshakable, determination unmatched, pride unconquered, yet, humane to the core. No. 7 Squadron, under his able command could do no wrong, emerging as the pride of the Air Force.

"His humour relieved even the most terrible strain. That unique memory for Bollywood dialogues that came in bursts so spontaneously, Johnny Walker, Mehmood, Saira Bano, .. the whole lot, what fun!

"Illness when it struck, he took it as boldly as in a 1 vs 1 combat; fearlessly and with determination. He brought warmth and solace to friends who were ill, yet, his own pains so well hidden. He was so calm and composed, with hope and confidence; it is so unfair that the Almighty took him away, shattering the hopes of so many that were fanned by his indomitable soul".

When Suresh joined HAL in mid-1984, he was a colleague of Gp Capt Kapil Bhargava (Retd). According to the latter, he was a professional safety man to the core. He had undergone training in the discipline at University of California, Los Angeles. This and his technical knowledge, personal integrity and imitative made him a very useful officer to tackle safety problems of operators of HAL's aircraft. Almost his first contribution to HAL was the launching of a Flight Safety Programme to educate HAL's personnel in responding correctly and honestly to customer's problems. With dedication, he became proficient at using the computer. Soon enough, on it he created the most comprehensive flight safety database, which was extremely useful in tackling problems that repeated themselves. He retired from HAL as a General Manager in charge of the department.

In HAL he reported directly to Air Marshal MSD Wollen (Retd) as its Chairman who remembers him with great fondness,

"During the  Dec 71 conflict   with Pakistan, Kukke flew Hunters (single-seat fighters) from Jaisalmer, a newly-constructed, forward-base in Rajasthan. He carried out accurate strikes against enemy tanks at Longewala. During one such attack, blinded by the flash of a tank's gun, his aircraft struck a sand dune. Skilful piloting brought the damaged aircraft back to base. On 13 Dec, he engaged a Sabre fighter and shot it down. He was awarded a VrC for his acts of bravery.

"I came to know Kukke in 1974, after I observed several of his low-level aerobatic displays in the MiG 21 fighter.

Atop his MiG-21 for solo aerobatic display practice - Halwara 1975

These displays were an add-on feature to a firepower demonstration by Western Air Command, at Tilpat ground-attack range, outside Delhi. Exceptional flying skill, physical fitness and coolness are required to perform a complete range of tight-knit manoeuvres, with "max reheat engine setting". When I was Director Air Staff Inspection (DASI), over the next three years, Kukke often joined our team of "flying inspectors" on visits to fighter bases all over India, to assess and advise on operational flying training. On all occasions, Kukke flew extremely well, briefed and de-briefed thoroughly. The criticism he tendered was readily accepted. In his profession, he was modest and upright. He was greatly respected and liked by the "fighter fraternity". Regrettably, the onset of spondylitis prevented him from further flying of aircraft, fitted with ejection seats. He opted out of the IAF in 1983 to join HAL. The IAF's loss was HAL's gain.

"Kukke's contribution (I was a direct witness from 1984 to 1988) to flight safety, related to aircraft produced by HAL, was inestimable. It covered the entire gamut from defects occurring in manufacture of components and systems to flaws in maintenance or operation. He was never boastful of the part he played in the avoidance of incidents and accidents. He wrote in "Indian Aviation", a year ago, about the safe recovery of an IAF Jaguar, after it's under carriage failed to lower by normal and all known emergency procedures. Kukke had "brought the experts together", and in nail biting, live circumstances a solution to this long pending, vexing problem was found. The point to be noted here is that the pilot was not compelled to eject (always fraught with danger), the aircraft was not rendered Cat 'A' (write-off) and no damage to human or animal life or property resulted. The aircraft manufacturers (British and French) incorporated the recommendations of HAL. British, French, Omani and other operators of the Jaguar were benefited. Many similar laudable incidents can be attributed to his prescience.

"Kukke, gallant to the end, kept friends informed of his illness. He is lost to us. We sympathize with his near ones, especially Usha (wife), Bubba (daughter) and his Mother. We are better for having known him. Rest In Peace.

The final words of farewell come from the family, penned by the daughter Aishwarya (fondly called Bubba),

"Kukke Suresh will always be remembered with pride by the family he leaves behind. He was a man with tremendous achievements, each stage of his life being marked by something special, whether in the Air force, HAL or simply within his family. He lived a complete life, always achieving all that he set out to do.

"He was however completely unassuming, and lived life quietly and with dignity to the extent that the true scale of his life's achievements was shown to us after he left us, in many small ways. He was a great aviator and a wonderful human being. He had a lot to give to the world and to life. But, the time had come for him to be one with his creator, to fly high and to fly free!!!!!

"The place he has left behind will never be filled, but we will try and live as best as we can, just as he did, with the faith that he is with us, looking over us. He will live in our hearts forever!!!!"

 

This article first appeared in Indian Aviation Magazine  in the Feb 6-13 issue.  It is reproduced here with permission from INDIAN AVIATION.

Our Thanks go to Indian Aviation , Group Captain Kapil Bhargava and Dr. Shiv Shankar Sastry.

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