Number Name Branch Died in Service? Picture?
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Group Captain Karori Lal Bhatia

Service No & Branch 1605 GD(P)
Date of Birth: 29 Jan 1920 Commissioned: 01 Aug 1940 Course: 4 Course
Service End: Died in Service 20 Jun 1954 (34 Years age) Flying Hours : 2842 Nick Name :
Qualifications Held :
Remarks : Died of Health issues
Promotions Gazetted
Fg Offr : 01 Feb 1942Acting Flt Lt : 01 Oct 1944Flt Lt : 01 May 1946Sqn Ldr : 20 Dec 1947
Wg Cdr : 15 Aug 1949Acting Gp Capt : 15 Oct 1949
Badges Qualified
   
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Plt Offr
Wg Cdr
Notes:1)Branch is at retirement and may not match with branch at Commission 2)Notional seniority is reflected in dates of substantive rank.

Appointments, Postings & Other Service Particulars

DatesRankUnitLocationAppointmentPhoto
01 Aug 1940 - 30 Nov 1940Acting Plt OffrInitial Training School (Officers)Lahore Trainee Pilot
01 Dec 1940 - 21 May 1941Acting Plt OffrNo.1 Flying Training School (India)Ambala Trainee Pilot
26 May 1941 - 31 May 1942Plt OffrNo.3 Flight (Coastal Defence)Calcutta Squadron Pilot
01 Jun 1942 - 26 Nov 1942Fg OffrNo.353 Squadron RAFCalcutta Squadron Pilot
05 Dec 1942 - 06 Jul 1944Fg OffrNo.7 Squadron Squadron Pilot
07 Jul 1944 - 11 Jan 1946Flt LtNo.7 Squadron Flight Commander B Flt. A Flt. To AHQ
30 Jan 1947 - 26 May 1947Flt LtNo.12 Squadron Flight Commander
27 May 1947 - 09 Aug 1947Sqn LdrNo.6 SquadronKohat Commanding Officer
15 Aug 1947 - 21 May 1948Wg CdrNo.12 SquadronAgra Commanding Officer
16 Oct 1948 - 14 Oct 1949Wg Cdr4 WingAgra Station Commander
- 20 Jun 1954Gp CaptAir Head QuartersDelhi Director, Personnel
15 Oct 1949 - 07 Mar 1951Gp Capt4 WingAgra Station Commander
02 Mar 1951 - Gp CaptAir Head QuartersDelhi Director, Organisation
 
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Awards and Decorations


Number of Awards: 1
 
Vir Chakra
Gp CaptKarori Lal Bhatia1605 GD(P)Award Date 15 Nov 1948Announced 26 Jan 1950
Details :

Group Captain Karori Lal Bhatia (1605) commanded No.12 Squadron from the early days of the Operations in Kashmir. As a Commanding Officer of the Transport Squadron, he shouldered the heavy responsibility of training his pilots for operations in the mountainous terrain of Kashmir, landing and taking off from hastily prepared airstrips and flying in vital supplies of rations, stores and ammunition to the besieged garrison located in places like Poonch etc.

He always displayed the highest order of leadership, and thus was an example to all his Squadron Pilots. He exhibited extraordinary courage and exemplary devotion to duty when his aircraft was damaged by enemy fire while landing at Poonch and by his prompt action and “Sangfroid” saved the lives of the other members of the aircrew and passengers in the damaged aircraft.

For the outstanding services rendered by him during the Kashmir Operations, he was awarded the Vir Chakra.

Unit : 12 Sqn
Reference : Gazette of India , Extraordinary, No. 2-Pres., dated 26th January, 1950

Accidents and Incidents: 1

DateAircraft TypeTail NoPilot/CrewUnitRemarks
21 Mar 1948Dakota C-47VP914Wg Cdr Karori Lal Bhatia
Fg Offr Das		12 Sqnw/o dam by arty fire

Articles from Main Site

The data in the header section of this page comes from the Gazette of India - Click here to see the source
The URL for this page is http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/1605
Note: All the data available here is publicly available in the Gazette of India, published by the Indian Government, or from public domain sources, press releases about Awards and Right-To-Information (RTI) Requests. Additionally data shared by veterans is added to the page with permission. No data with respect to serving officers below the rank of AVM is displayed. Information in Gazette of India and Award citations and photographs as released by the Indian Air Force are the only details displayed.