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To mark the 25th anniversary of the victory in the Kargil War, the Indian Air Force celebrated the Victory Day on ‘V-Kargil Day’ at the Sarsawa Air Force Station.
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force is a proud symbol of courage and sacrifice, and these heroic airmen fought valiantly in the 1999 Kargil War, which was indeed a milestone in the history of military aviation. The Indian Air Force’s actions in the Kargil War (Op Safed Sagar) demonstrated the Indian Air Force’s ability to overcome the insurmountable challenges posed by steep slopes and dizzying altitudes above 16,000 feet, which posed unique operational difficulties in targeting the enemy. Rapid technological improvements and on-the-job training enabled the Indian Air Force to apply air power well to win this war fought in the world’s highest theater of operations. Overall, the Indian Air Force flew about 5,000 strike missions, 350 reconnaissance/electronic intelligence missions and about 800 escort flights. The Indian Air Force also flew more than 2,000 helicopter missions for casualty evacuation and air transport.
To mark the 25th anniversary of Kargil victory, the Indian Air Force will celebrate “Kargil Victory Day” from 12th July to 26th July 24 at Sarsawa Air Station to pay tribute to the brave warriors who made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation. 152 Helicopter Unit “Mighty Armour” of Sarsawa Air Station played a key role in Operation Safad Sagar. On 28th May 99, Squadron Leader R Pundir, Lt S Muhilan, Sergeant PVNR Prasad and Sergeant RK Sahu of 152 HU were sent in the “Nubra” formation to conduct a live-fire attack on enemy positions in Tololing. After successfully launching the attack, their helicopter was hit by an enemy Stinger missile during the disengagement process, resulting in the loss of four lives. For this brave act, they were posthumously awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (Bravery Medal). Their immense sacrifice has etched their names forever in the annals of the Indian Air Force.
Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal VR Chaudhari along with senior dignitaries, families of gallant warriors, veterans and serving Indian Air Force officers laid wreaths at the Cantonment War Memorial on July 13, 2024 to honour the memory of all the airmen who laid down their lives in the service of the nation. During the event, the Air Chief congratulated the families of the victims and interacted with the relatives of the victims.
A spectacular flying display was organized, including performances by the Akash Ganga team and aerial displays by Jaguars, Su-30 Mkl and Rafale fighter jets. The Mi-17 V5 aerobatic team formed a “missing man formation” in memory of the fallen heroes. A static display of Indian Air Force helicopters including Mi-17 V5, Cheetah, Chinook was also organized, along with performances by the Air Warriors training team and the Air Force Band.
The event was witnessed by over 5,000 spectators including school children, local residents of Saharanpur district, veterans, civic dignitaries and defence forces personnel from Roorkee, Dehradun and Ambala.
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