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IAF honours sentinels of the sky

Flying in Canberras, Hunters, Mysteres, Gnats, Vampires, MIGs and other warplanes, 132 officers and men of the Indian Air Force have been killed in six major conflicts since 1947.

Years later, after a major global exercise that involved reaching the relatives of these war heroes, the IAF has managed to track down 71 families. Members of 60 of them have come down to Delhi from places as far as Canada to be presented, tomorrow, with the emblem of honour and a scroll of citation.

The widows, children or parents of these gallant men will also be given Rs 100,000 each by chief of air staff Air Chief Marshal A Y Tipnis as a token recognition of the sacrifices made for the country.

An IAF spokesperson said after the major search in various parts, including the United Kingdom, the US, Canada and Israel, 92 families responded to an appeal through registered letters sent to the last known address, and through newspaper advertisements. But, in 21 cases, it was found that those who responded were very distant relatives.

In 1947-48, 31 air force personnel were killed in conflict but there was only one casualty in the war against China in 1962 -- Squadron Leader V K Sehgal.

The 1965 war against Pakistan saw 40 IAF men die in battle; while in the 1971 Bangladesh operation, 49 people laid down their lives. Six were killed in Operation Meghdoot and five lost their lives in the Kargil conflict this year. Of these casualties, 81 were officers and the others were airmen.

The wife, Sybia, and two children of Flight Lieutenant L M Sasson, who died in a Canberra on December 4, 1971 have come to the capital from Jerusalem.

Surekha, wife of Flight Lieutenant P V Apte, who was killed in a Canberra on the same day in 1971, has remarried and settled in Canada. She told the IAF that the honour should go to Apte's parents. But the relatives of another officer, Flight Lieutenant A R Da' Costa, who was killed in action on December 4, 1971 in a Hunter have written from Mississauga in Canada that they would be coming over.

The widow of one of the heroes of the 1971 conflict with Pakistan, Param Vir Chakra winner Flying Officer Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon, is also coming from Jalandhar.

The IAF managed to track down the family of Lance Corporal Madan Prakash, who was killed on December 31, 1947. The families of Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja and Squadron Leader R Pundhir, who were killed in Kargil, will also be in Delhi to be honoured.

Tomorrow, the families of the officers and men will pay floral tributes at the war memorial at the air force station, Palam, before the air chief honours them. Air Chief Marshal Tipnis, the seven C-in-Cs and the vice-chief will also lay wreaths at the war memorial.

The families of the war heroes have been staying at the IAF senior citizen's home in Tughlakabad for the past two days, the first people to occupy the home. A special two-day medical camp was also organised for the families.

A photo exhibition of 100-odd IAF officers and men killed in action is also to be opened at the air force auditorium in Delhi cantonment.

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