On the 21st November, 1981, Flight Lieutenant Sankara Iyer Chandrashekhar (13436) Administrative was proceeding by train on his annual leave to Madras by LucknowJhansi Express and was travelling in a First Class compartment along with three other copassengers, all Railway employees. At about 2330 Hours when the train was between Malana and Lalpur railway stations (59 KMs from Kanpur), four armed robbers forced their way into their compartment. One of the passengers was stabbed. Awakened by the disturbance and responding immediately to the victim’s cries for help, Flight Lieutenant Chandrasekhar jumped down from his berth and grappled with the armed robbers while also attempting to pull the alarm chain. At this stage, one of the intruders shot the officer on his right temple at close range with a country made revolver killing him on the spot. Immediately thereafter, the armed robbers escaped under the cover of darkness without inflicting any further injury to the passengers. The circumstances under which Flight Lieutenant Chandrashekar gave his life were obviously such that only a person with abundant courage and steeped in the highest traditions of ‘Service before self’ could respond in the manner he did. Knowing fully well that he was facing a group of desperados not only armed with lethal weapons, but also unhesitating in using them, the officer reacted with reflexes of a well trained and disciplined member of the Air Force.

During the entire episode Flight Lieutenant Sankara Iyer Chandrashekhar displayed conspicuous bravery and courage of the highest order and laid down his life in the best traditions of the Indian Air Force.