Squadron Leader Ishwar Ramchand Sonpar was commissioned in November 1954. After his basic flying training, he was converted to transport aircraft and became a transport pilot. In 1960-61, he became a qualified flying instructor after which he was posted to Training Establishments to train not only ab-initio pilots but also cadets selected for transport flying. During his career in the Air Force as a transport pilot, he was mainly flying the Dakota aircraft. He has to his credit over 1500 hours of operational flying on Dakota. In 1963, he joined an operational unit. Within a short period of two months, he became a fully operational pilot an another type of aircraft. In 1965, when this unit acquired another type of aircraft, he was converted on this type. He has to his credit 4,800 hours of flying in twin­engined and multiengined aircraft and has logged so far a total of 6,401 flying hours in his short career of 14 years. Besides undertaking important operational as well as other tasks, he has trained a number of pilots in the unit to operational standard. During the 1965 operations, Squadron Leader Sonpar flew many missions.

Throughout, Squadron Leader Ishwar Ramchand Sonpar displayed professional skill, initiative and devotion to duty.