Most Decorated Air India Pilot

In military parlance a ‘Bar’ to a gallantry award means that the same award has been bestowed more than once.

Many of us do not know that a pilot who once flew for Air India was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra twice making it a Maha Vir Chakra and Bar.

The distinguished pilot is Capt.J.M.Nath who took pre-mature retirement from the Indian Air Force as a Squadron Leader.  
He is the first of the six officers of the IAF to have been decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra, India’s second highest war time military decoration.
 
Sqn.Ldr.Nath was first decorated with the MVC in the Sino-Indian war of 1962 for his role in reconnaissance missions which provided information on the Chinese military build-up.
 
Again, in the Indo Pak war of 1965 Sqn.Ldr.Nath flew more than 30 missions into enemy territory in a Canberra aircraft and obtained vital information. Although fully aware of the risks, he flew most of the reconnaissance missions instead of his juniors until he was ordered to allow his colleagues to do some of them. He flew those sorties in broad daylight almost skimming trees so that the enemy radar wouldn’t detect his aircraft. And when something had to be captured on camera, he would climb to get the best pictues, exposing him for a full 5 minutes to enemy fire. He was again decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra for displaying courage, determination and sense of duty of the highest order.

Capt. Nath left the Indian Air Force in 1969 and then joined Air India.



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