On 9th November 1960, Flt. Lt. R.K. Mehta was detailed to fly a Gnat aircraft. While coming in to land at Palam airfield his engine flamed out due to a bird entering the intake. Though the engine had flamed out at a low height, Flt. Lt. Mehta did not abandon the aircraft but proceeded to attempt a landing fully aware of the risk to his life. He was not, however, able to make a safe landing and died instantaneously as a result of belated ejection.

Flt. Lt. Mehta was an experienced pilot and he was fully familiar with the Gnat aircraft. He faced the emergency with a remarkable degree of calmness and courage and did not even spare his life in his attempt to save his valuable aircraft. This selfless act of Flt. Lt. Mehta, his devotion to duty and personal courage were in the highest traditions of the Air Force.

On 12th March 1961, Flying Officer, V. Ganesan of the Auxiliary Air Force, along with Flying Officer C.R. Mohan (Aux. A. F.) while on an instrument flying training exercise in a Harvard aircraft, was faced with an emergency due to excessive vibration of the engine. In spite of corrective action by Flying officer Ganesan, the aircraft continued to lose height. As captain of the aircraft he ordered flying officer Ram Mohan to abandon the aircraft, which he did. As he was about to follow suit flying officer Ganesan noticed a village in the immediate vicinity. Appreciating that the aircraft, if abandoned, would crash in the village and possibly cause death or injures to a number of innocent people, he stayed back and manoeuvred the aircraft away from the village. In doing this, he was fully aware of the risk to his own life but even so in deliberate disregard of his personal safety he attempted a crash landing away from the village and sacrificed his life.

Flying Officer Ganesan displayed airmanship and courage of high order and has set a noble tradition of bravery and self sacrifice for the Auxiliary Air Force.

On 12th October, 1961, Flight Lieutenant Madhusudan Ray (5004) GD(P), Captain of a Dakota aircraft while engaged on a training flight had to crash-land the aircraft at Mahesh owing to loss of power immediately after take-off from Barrackpore airfield. He deliberately manoeuvred his aircraft so as to crash-land in the only available open space between inhabited multi-storeyed buildings. A crash into any of these buildings would have caused extensive damage to life and property. Flight Lieutenant Madhusudan Ray was able to ward off what might have been a disaster of great magnitude and in doing so sacrificed his own life and those of his crew.

In saving the lives of others, Flight Lieutenant Madhusudan Ray displayed gallantry, skill and spirit of self-sacrifice, which are in keeping with the highest traditions of the Air Force.

On 1st May 1961 Flt. Lt. Desoares was engaged in a sortie to drop food supplies to an Army detachment on the northeastern border. While nearing the dropping zone, he noticed that his Dakota was losing height very rapidly due to a down draught. Despite all the corrective actions taken, the aircraft-continued to go out of control. Flt. Lt. Desoares, with great presence of mind, skillfully directed the aircraft out of the wooded area and landed it on the snowcovered portion of the hill. On impact, a fuel tank of the aircraft caught fire and a portion of the aircraft disintegrated. Flt. Lt. Desoares though injured managed to extricate himself from the crashed aircraft and pulled his copilot out. He then rushed to the rear of the burning aircraft, in utter disregard of his personal safety, to rescue other personnel who might be injured or trapped.

Flt. Lt. Desoares continued to help his comrades and managed to rescue two of the Army ejection personnel. Thereafter he proceeded to recover the bodies of other crew members from the burning aircraft again disregarding his own personal safety.

Due to the psychological state of the survivors and the extent of their injuries, Flt. Lt. Desoares decided to keep his party near the aircraft for the next two days. With hardly any food, water, or warm clothing, he, by his personal example, infused confidence and courage in the survivors which helped them to pass two nights in a blizzard.

On the third day Flt. Lt. Desoares decided to leave the place of the accident and skillfully led the survivors through treacherous moun tainous terrain and forests with thick undergrowth to safety.

Throughout the operation, Flt. Lt. Desoares displayed the highest form of leadership and devotion to duty, in keeping with the best traditions of the Air Force. His exemplary action will be a source of inspiration to other pilots engaged in similar missions over difficult terrain.

On 19th January, 1961, while on a training flight, Flight Lieutenant Kalsia found that the engine of his aircraft had flamed out. The aircraft was heading towards Jamnagar city and had he bailed out and abandoned the aircraft, it would have crashed in the city, causing extensive damage to life and property. Realising this, Flight Lieutenant Kalsia turned his aircraft away from the populated area and in doing so lost valuable height. He then attempted a force landing as he was left with no other option and was killed in the attempt.

Flight Lieutenant Kalsia displayed courage of a very high order and gave his own life to avoid an accident which might have resulted in the loss of several other lives. His gallant action was in the highest traditions of the Air Force.

On 14th May 1962, Flight Lieutenant Vijayaraghavan was on an instructional sortie with Pilot Officer Evans as pupil. During a spinning exercise by the pupil, it was noticed that the aircraft failed to come out of the spin. At this moment, Flight Lieutenant Vijayaraghavan, took over the controls of the aircraft which however still failed to respond and started losing height rapidly. He twice ordered Pilot Officer Evans to bale out but by the time the latter did so, the aircraft had reached too low a height for Flight Lieutenant Vijayaraghavan to abandon it. Pilot Officer Evans escaped with minor injuries. The aircraft crashed killing Flight Lieutenant Vijayaraghavan instantaneously.

Flight Lieutenant Vijayaraghavan displayed conspicuous gallantry and a spirit of supreme self-sacrifice in saving the life of his pupil which was in the highest traditions of the Indian Air Force.