'Death Was Flying Around Us'

'The odds were stacked against us.'
'Through it all, we were determined to overcome and prevail we did!'

Wing Commander Shailesh Singh on the high-risk flying mission for which he was awarded the Shaurya Chakra.

India's brave had gathered in the stately hall in Rashtrapati Bhavan to receive medals for extraordinary acts of valour.

Wing Commander Shailesh Singh was among them.

As he received the Shaurya Chakra from the President for leading a daring mission against anti-national elements, he was overwhelmed by the ultimate honour bestowed upon him by the country.

The Shaurya Chakra is the fourth highest medal for gallantry during peacetime.

The defence investiture ceremony is one of the most solemn occasions in the Rashtrapti Bhavan calendar. In the hall were an elite group of military men who had served their country to the peril of their lives.

Some had been killed in action. Their medals received posthumously by grief-stricken next of kin in what is the most heartbreaking part of the ceremony.

The gallantry award winners present in the room knew it was a privilege to march up and get their medals pinned on their chests by the President when several of their brothers-in-arms had laid down their lives in service of their country.

'Death was flying all around us in the form of bullets'

The memory of the mission for which he received the Shaurya Chakra was etched in Wing Commander Shailesh Singh's mind.

On February 11, 2023, he and his team were assigned a special high-risk operation against hostile elements. The officer was flying the number 2 helicopter in the lead formation through treacherous terrain when they came under a hail of fire.

[The IAF did not disclose the location of the mission.]

"Our aircraft took the brunt of the enemy's fury and sustained multiple hits which compromised critical systems," said Wing Commander Singh.

A Helicopter Combat leader who had conducted hundreds of missions in challenging terrain from sea-level to high altitudes -- during night and day, his years of IAF training kept him steady and focused.

"The moment the first rounds struck our helicopter, the world seemed to slow down. Death was flying all around us in the form of bullets."

In the barrage of fire, a bullet struck the flight engineer. Troops inside the cargo compartment sustained multiple injuries. The fuel was depleting rapidly; the aircraft had suffered considerable critical damage and could have crashed.

"The odds were stacked against us. The thought of giving up never crossed my mind. Through it all, we were determined to overcome and prevail we did!"

Displaying exceptional courage, skill and limits of endurance, they responded to enemy fire and inflicted heavy damage to them.

The officer guided the helicopter along with crew to safety preserving the lives on board and the aircraft -- the invaluable national asset that was under his command.

"I was responsible for the lives of my comrades and the mission's success was hanging on my manoeuver."

"It was the ultimate test of my skill, courage and experience," said the officer.

"The intense crisis and multiple emergencies on board did not overwhelm me which is solely because of the experience gained through my life in the IAF."

'The crew was the backbone of our mission'

Wing Commander Singh -- who recently flew rescue missions in the Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand deluge -- believes it was the professionalism and synergy among the crew that played an instrumental role in the success of their mission last year.

The Mi-17 helicopter comprises a four-member crew -- pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer and gunner.

"In spite of a bullet injury to my flight engineer, his courage under fire, following all instructions, was exemplary."

"Inspite of multiple injuries to troops in the cargo compartment, the flight gunner's valour in ensuring befitting retaliatory fire was praiseworthy."

"The co-pilot's accurate navigation and critical inputs to handle emergencies helped in ensuring the safe recovery of the helicopter."

"The blind trust I could put in my crew was a boon," said the officer whose wife is also a serving IAF officer, while his elder brother is a deputy commandant with the Border Security Force.

Last month, the officer's unit celebrated '25 years of Kargil Vijay Diwas' and has already received the prestigious Battle Honour for the Kargil War.

"The honour of wearing the uniform and serving under the Tricolour continues to inspire me every day," says Wing Commander Singh who was captivated by the sky since a child and believes extraordinary things can happen when passion becomes profession.

WATCH Wing Commander Shailesh Singh Speak

'Change of self is needed more than a change of scene'

Proud and encouraged by the honour bestowed upon him by the country, he has some useful advice for young defence and civil job aspirants.

"Always convert a crisis into opportunity because a positive outcome is always wrapped inside what seems to be a problem on the outside," he says.

"It is not the mountain that wears you out, but the pebble in your shoe, so work hard with focus and passion."

Coming from a brave soldier decorated with a gallantry award, it is one mantra we should try and take with us today.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com