This is AN ODE TO FALLEN AIR WARRIORS written by Air Marshal Sumit Mukerji that will…
Category: Roll of Honour
During the Second World War and the events leading upto Independence, 202 Officers and 565 Other Ranks of the Undivided Royal Indian Air Force died in service. Their sacrifices are commemorated by the Commonwealth War Grave Commission through special memorials and cemeteries maintained all around the globe. In India, These memorials are at Karachi, Delhi and at Bangladesh. The cemeteries are also spread out and maintained at many places throughout the Sub-Continent. The Roll of Honour does not include RAF personnel attached to the Indian Air Force during World War 2 nor RAF personnel of Indian Origin.
In the numerous wars after Independence, 81 Officers and 53 Other Ranks died on the battlefield. Starting with the 1948 Kashmir conflict to the more recent 1999 Kargil fighting, These airmen and officers have kept the IAF flag flying high at the cost of their lives. The Post-Independence Roll of Honour does not cover peace-time casualities.
Second World War (1939-47)
The Common Wealth War Graves Commission lists 823 Officers and Airmen of the Indian Air Force…
The Jammu & Kashmir Operations 1947-48
9 Officers and 23 other Ranks sacrificed their lives in the Kashmir Operations from 27 Oct…
1962 India-China War & Other Ops
Photo N/A Photo N/A Photo N/A Photo N/A Sqn Ldr Vinod Kumar Sehgal 3853 GD(P) 104…
1965 India-Pakistan War
Flt Lt Satish Bharadwaj 6348 GD(P) 45 Squadron KIA 01 Sept 1965 Flt Lt Satish…
Siachen Glacier (1984-1999)
Crew of Mil Mi-17 shot down in 1996 Flt Lt Sandeep Jain 19534 F(P) 130 HU…