On the 18th July, 1979, Major Gur Iqbal Singh Dhodi was detailed to evacuate a dangerously ill comatose member of the Japanese Nun Kun mountaineering expedition from an inhospitable snow covered terrain prone to storm weather. Undaunted by adverse conditions and the flying hazards involved, he took off in his helicopter and located the patient lying on boulder strewn glacier with deep crevasses. Maneouvring the aircraft, flying at a height of about 6,750 meters in extremely bad weather and landing at such a hazardous place required high professional competence.

When Major Dhodi made the first attempt to land, it was thwarted as his view was obscured by rapidly drifting low cloud. He, however, observed that it would have been disastrous to land at that spot as it was located amidst huge boulders where maneouvring the aircraft was not possible. He then made a second pass and, after air dropping vital life preserving oxygen and food, he decided to lighten his aircraft by disembarking the team leader at the Base Camp. The considerable time, fuel and oxygen spent in making preparatory efforts for landing and the growing low visibility due to approaching night, were causing concern to Major Dhodi. He, therefore, made a determined bid, landed the helicopter in a small area amongst crevasses and enormous boulders and evacuated the casualty before the night came on.

In this action, Major Gur Iqbal Singh Dhodi displayed courage, determination and devotion to duty of a high order.