Flight Lieutenant Sameer Riaz Kagdi, was on the posted strength of a helicopter unit since 08 Oct 1999. He was an extremely professional flier and a matured officer, who gained the status of glacial captain in Op Meghdoot in a record time of five months. During his short stay of nine months, he flew 350 hours, including 225 hours on the Glacier. On several occasions he flew through enemy shelling to drop supplies to tactically crucial posts at the world's highest helipads. On 04 July 2000, Flt Lt SR Kagdi was detailed to fly as a captain to Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO). While flying to DBO, 05 nm short of Goshen, his helicopter experienced collective pitch lever failure and started descending rapidly. He handled this unusual and grave emergency in an extremely professional and competent manner. He selected the most suitable force landing field available and put down the helicopter with only cyclic control. He sustained grievous spinal injuries and fractures during landing. Unmindful of his excessive pain, his accurate and logical analysis of the emergency brought out the factors which gave the Court of Inquiry the requisite direction and made it possible to determine the cause of the failure and instituting remedial actions, thus preventing further recurrence. Flt Lt SR Kagdi succumbed to his injuries and died on 16 July 2000 in Command Hospital, Chandigarh.

Flt Lt SR Kagdi exhibited thoroughbred soldierly attitude, exceptional professional courage and gallantry in face of an unusual grave and emergency and made supreme sacrifice in the best traditions of the Air Force.

Sergeant Mahender Singh Radio Fitter is on the posted strength of a Squadron located at Bhuj, Gujarat since 24 June 1998.

A devastating earthquake struck Bhuj on 26 Jan 2001. Immediately after the earthquake Sgt M Singh rushed to Shivnagar of Bhuj where a number of Air Force personnel were staying in multistoried buildings. Risking his own life several times at different occasions, even when the after shocks were continuing, he went underneath the crumpled buildings, broken water tanks and falling structures to rescue the lives of wife and daughter of late Sgt Awasthi, wife of Sgt Rajput, wife of Cpl DP Singh and others trapped inside at different places. While saving lives of eight Air force personnel and their family members, he not only displayed unmatched courage and valour but also sharp presence of mind and intelligence. Efforts required to clear off the debris and take out people alive from inside were trying and stressful in the absence of proper tools and implements. However, he used innovative methods and preserved in rescue work to save human lives from debris. Without losing heart and hope, he worked continuously day and night for five days with little rest and care for him. His timely efforts, selfless attitude and zealous approach motivated others to contribute in the rescue operations thus saving more lives.

Sergeant Mahender Singh displayed exemplary bravery, courage and selfless devotion in saving human lives.

Corporal Suresh Chintalapati was on the posted strength of a Squadron located at Bhuj, Gujarat since 30 Mar 1999. On the morning of 26 Jan 2001, a devastating earthquake hit Bhuj where in a lot of buildings collapsed, trapped people within them. Immediately after the earthquake Cpl Suresh took the job of rescuing people trapped under the rubble. He rushed to Ashapura Apartment, a multistoried building in Shanti Nagar area of Bhuj, which had collapsed trapping many families of airmen and civilians. With make shift tools and bare hands, he made passage through a small opening in the rubble and risking his life rescued four children. Thereafter, he proceeded to the next building and tunneled through the rubble to pull out a small child the only surviving child of late Corporal Thapa. In another building nearby he rescued three civilians. Then he moved to Shiv Nagar apartments where many people were trapped in the debris. For the next four days, he worked in this apartment and helped in locating and rescuing about fourteen trapped persons. It was his initiative and sheer courage, which saw him repeatedly going under the debris to extricate trapped persons and all this when tremors were still being experienced. Due to his immense patience and indomitable will, four persons were extricated on 30 Jan 2001. His heroic efforts and never day die attitude resulted in rescue of 24 Air Force personnel and civilians.

Corporal Suresh displayed indomitable courage, grit and outmost commitment in saving precious human lives.

Corporal Mohammed Javed Radio Fitter was on the posted strength of a Squadron located at Bhuj, Gujarat since 25 Nov 1997. A devastating earthquake struck Bhuj on 26 Jan 2001. Immediately after the earthquake Corporal Javed commenced rescue operation within the Air Force Camp. Working with basic implements as hacksaw blades and crowbars, he made a passage through the rubble of one building and pulled out the two surviving members of a family. Quickly moving on to another building, he pulled out wife of Corporal D Singh and wife of Sgt VS Yadav. Thereafter he proceeded outside the Air Force Camp to Vaibhav Lakshmi Apartments at Shivnagar area. Even as after shocks continued, he worked through the mangled steels and concrete of the multi-storey complex to locate survivors. Unmindful of physical exhaustion and personal risk, he kept breaking concrete and cutting through steel rods to extricate the living. On 26 Jan 2001 itself, he pulled out seven survivors from the site. On 27 Jan 2001, he pulled out one more women from beneath of debris of Gayatri Complex in Shivnagar. On 29 Jan 2001, he extricated the last survivor in Kaveri complex, an infant child. He repeatedly put his life at risk to save others. Thus working selflessly, he saved 14 lives.

Corporal Mohammed Javed displayed courage of high order in undertaking rescue operations at great risk to his own life.

Corporal Sanjeev Kumar Arora is on the posted strength of a squadron located at Bhuj, Gujarat since 25 Oct 1999. A devastating earthquake struck Bhuj on 26 Jan 2001. Immediately after the earthquake Cpl SK Arora commenced rescue operations. Working day and night, almost non-stop and with great risk to his own life, he saved 14 precious lives over the next four days. On hearing voices from the rubble of Vaibhav Lakshmi Apartments in Shivnagar area that had come crashing down, he created a narrow passage by using only basic implements like crowbars and hacksaw and located two couples. Even as after-shocks continued and parts of wrecked building continued to fall down, Cpl Arora worked continuously for long hours unmindful of his own safety and pulled out Sgt Tripathi SS, his wife, Sgt Roy Chaudhary and his wife. On their information he continued digging and at late night, pulled out a small girl child followed by her father. Cpl Arora continued to work on the same site on 27 Jan 2001. Tunneling down narrow passengers dug through the rubble, he pulled out five more survivors from Gayatri Apartments in Shivnagar. On 28 and 29 Jan 2001, Cpl Arora saved three more lives including Sgt KT Prasad's wife from Kaveri Apartments.

Corporal Sanjeev Kumar Arora displayed immense courage and unflinching commitment and saved lives of others at great risk to his own life.

Leading Aircraftsman Amar Kumar Bajpai was on the posted strength of a squadron at Bhuj, Gujarat since 18 Jun 2000. In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Bhuj on 26 Jan 2001, Leading Aircraftsman Bajpai immediately rushed to Shivnagar area of Bhuj, where number of Air Force personnel were staying in multistoried buildings. Risking his own life several times at different occasions and even as tremors continued, he went inside the broken buildings and hanging structures to rescue the lives of nine people including airmen and civilians. With no tools and instruments to work he used innovative methods to save human lives from the debris. Efforts required were arduous and stressing but without losing heart and hope, he worked continuously day and night for 5 days with little rest and care for himself. His timely efforts, selfless attitude and zealous approach motivated others to contribute in saving more lives.

Leading Aircraftsman Amar Kumar Bajpai displayed exemplary courage and selfless commitment in saving human lives.

Leading Aircraftman Arvind Kumar was on the posted strength of a squadron at Bhuj since 28 Jan 2000. On the morning of 26 Jan 2001, a devastating earthquake hit Bhuj wherein a lot of buildings collapsed, trapping people within them. Immediately after the earthquake Leading Aircraftman Arvind Kumar rushed to the affected residential quarters within the Air Force Camp and commenced rescue operation. With raw courage, make shift tools and bare hands, he made passage through a small opening in the rubble and rescued a girl. Then he proceeded to the collapsed DSC quarters where some people where trapped inside. Again, with grit and indomitable will he tunneled through the rubble to pull out two persons. For the next four days, he was instrumental in locating and rescuing 12 trapped persons. It was his initiative and sheer courage which saw him repeatedly going under the debris to extricate persons trapped within and all this when tremors were still being experienced. During this he succeeded in taking out a child by cutting leg from dead body under which the child was trapped. On 29 and 30 Jan 2001 when hope of locating and rescuing live persons was diminishing. LAC Kumar showed a high degree of perseverance and continued working untiringly. His efforts paid of, when a girl child was rescued alive on 30 Jan 2001. His heroic efforts and never say die attitude resulted in rescue of 20 Air Force personnel and civilians.

Leading Aircraftman Arvind Kumar displayed courage of high order and utmost commitment for saving precious human lives.

Leading Aircraftsman Rajeev Bhardwaj is on the posted strength of a squadron located at Bhuj, Gujarat since 31 Jan 2000. A devastating earthquake struck Bhuj on 26 Jan 2001 after the earthquake LAC Bhardwaj immediately set out to rescue survivors. Working tirelessly over the next four days, he saved 16 lives. On 26 Jan 2001, while the tremors continued, LAC Bhardwaj worked his way into the rubble of four multistoried apartments complexes in Shivnagar area and rescued five women, two children and two men. From 27 Jan 2001 to 29 Jan 2001, LAC Bhardwaj worked tirelessly and rescued Sgt Sharma RP and his family, a man, his wife and a teen-aged girl from Taxila Apartments in Shivnagar area. On 29 Jan 2001 he recovered a child after a struggle of six hours. As days passed by the task became all the more difficult. Bodies had started decaying and the probability of finding the survivors kept reducing. However, LAC Bhardwaj continued with the same zeal and dogged determination. Overcoming all hurdles and bracing the aftershocks, LAC Bhardwaj saved 16 lives from Shivnagar and Gandhinagri area.

Leading Aircraftsman Rajeev Bhardwaj displayed unparalleled courage, determination and commitment in saving others lives even at a risk of his own life.