‘Wings of Valour’ by Swapnil Pandey: Courage under fire

Descending in total darkness, the runway remained invisible even at 2 miles out. Only at 300 to 400 feet above ground level did patches of the runway become fairly visible. With no guiding lights, communication with ground or navigation aids, the crew of an Indian Air Force C-130 Super Hercules prepared for touchdown at the damaged Khartoum airfield during Operation Kaveri, an arduous mission to evacuate trapped Indian nationals from strife-torn Sudan in April 2023.

Using night vision systems, the aircraft’s Combat Systems Officer guided the pilots in face of danger and unknown probables, and it was only when the wheels met the ground did the rest of the crew realise that they had successfully landed in pitch-black conditions. It was then for the Garud commandos, the IAF’s Special Forces, to set foot on a strange, foreign land without any local contact, to safeguard the aircraft, secure the area and begin the onerous task for which they had flown in from Hindon.

“You see, the aircraft has no limitations, but humans do,” one of the pilots quipped during an operational briefing when the mission was authorised. It is overcoming human limitations that is the forte of the Armed Forces and this is what this book is dedicated to.

Starting off with a broad picture of Operation Sindoor, the military operation against Pakistan conducted in May this year that witnessed the use of aircraft, drones and precision-guided munitions as never before, the book provides detailed and fascinating insights into the little-known nuances of Operation Kaveri and several other missions that have left an indelible imprint.

The author, Swapnil Pandey, is known for several works on the Armed Forces, including that on the Special Forces and the crucial role of wives of those in uniform.

This work is her endeavour to highlight the men behind the machines and present a firsthand account of selected operations based on interviews and testimonies of those directly involved in or witness to the events.

In his foreword, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, says that while exploring the human side of each hero, the author has successfully captured the essence of what drives individuals to make the ultimate sacrifice.

The narratives on Corporal Jyoti Prakash Nirala, decorated posthumously with the Ashok Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, for his action in anti-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora in November 2017, and those on Sergeant Milind Kumar Khairnar, Corporal Nilesh Kumar Nayan and Corporal Gursevak Singh — all three posthumous recipients of the Shaurya Chakra for valour in anti-terrorist operations in J&K and Pathankot — are well documented.

The author also delves into Operation Safed Sagar, the IAF’s role in the 1999 Kargil conflict, and the war-time experiences of Flight Lieutenant Kambhampati Nachiketa, a MiG-27 pilot whose fighter went down during the conflict and was taken prisoner of war by Pakistan.

IAF operations in Jaffna during the late 1980s, the helidrop of para commandos over Jaffna University, and the rescue of 48 civilians stranded in 12 cable cars 1,200 feet above the ground in Jharkhand by helicopters and Garuds — an unparalleled feat in aviation history — are also laid out for the reader.

The book draws upon the author’s conversations with scores of Air Force personnel, veterans and family members and puts together a captivating canvas of courage under fire, steadfastness under duress, discipline amidst turmoil, unflinching loyalty and camaraderie.

It is a tribute to the attributes that remain the hallmark of the Armed Forces.