The Kargil War in 1999 was a legendary victory for India. It showed the World what we were capable of, and more. India witnessed the ultimate grit and dedication of the defence forces as they uprooted the Pakistani infiltrants on the battlefield.
Operation Vijay and Operation Safed Sagar were two major operations that led to India’s victory in this conflict. The Indian Air Force (IAF) was monumental in tipping the scales of the war in India’s favour. The IAF employed air power at an unprecedented 32,000 feet and the special, short term training undertaken by their pilots and engineers worked really well in identifying and eradicating Pakistani troops from their hidden nooks.
Amongst this grand mayhem and roaring victory, the IAF added another feather to their cap in the name of (then) Flight Officer Gunjan Saxena. She made history as she flew into a combat zone during the War, a feat which had not been allowed for or achieved by a lady officer in the IAF. For this courageous task, she was later bestowed with the Shaurya Chakra- an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice while not engaged in direct action with the enemy.
Gunjan Saxena was pursuing an undergraduate course at Hansraj College when she came across the golden opportunity of joining the very first batch of female IAF trainee pilots. A second generation defence officer, she was not out of sync with the challenges and opportunities that came with this life. Her father and brother were serving in the Indian Army at that time. The opportunity Gunjan was confronted with was an unprecedented one that excited her. The defence forces were not only majorly dominated by male officers, lady officers in the IAF had also not yet been given the chance to fly as equals with their male counterparts. Gunjan decided that she had to grab this chance.
She cleared the entrance exam, the SSB, and the medical tests and joined the IAF as a pilot. Of course, lady officers weren’t then allowed to fly fighter jets (as they can now) but her batch had created history nonetheless. Back then, there were reservations about women pilots in the IAF. It was still unsure how they would cope with the mental and physical stress of flying, and of wars. These feisty young women needed just one chance to prove their mettle- a chance which arrived with the Kargil War in 1999.
The Kargil War took a toll on the Indian Forces and their resources. The IAF too, was banking on each and every pilot they had. War times imply desperate times, which in turn need desperate measures. So while female pilots had not yet been employed in a war zone, the situation demanded for a change in the situation. Hence, the women pilots were called in for duties involving tasks of medical evacuation, dropping of supplies, and reconnaissance.
“I could not wait to be called.” said Gunjan Saxena to Outlook India in an interview back in 2006.
Now came the time for her to fly, quite literally. She and another courageous pilot, Srividya Rajan, were entrusted with crucial duties in the combat zone. They were to be the first ladies to fly into combat zone and one can only imagine their fortitude in undertaking this sensitive and dangerous task.
In about ten sorties over the next week after training and enlisting of duties, Flight Officer Gunjan Saxena flew her chopper to air- drop vital supplies to Indian troops at high points in the Dras and Batalik sectors. In these journeys, she also picked up the wounded/dead bodies from steep and unruly mountain ranges which speaks volumes of her skills as a pilot. She meticulously informed her seniors of the enemy positions and status which added to better strategies and ultimately contributed to the overall victory of the force’s operations.
One must not forget how her trips were fraught with danger. She knew that she was flying into volatile areas where her enemies were waiting to pounce on her. She showed great grit and determination as she flew on fearlessly, ready to face death if need be. She would carry a fully loaded INSAS assault rifle and a revolver with her on the chopper in case she would have to battle her way out of the enemy’s areas on land (in case of a crash landing). Her small Cheetah helicopter would run through extremely hostile territories in unpredictable and perilious weather conditions. It goes without saying that this task would have taken a heavy toll on her mind and physique owing to the pressures of the situation.
In a terrifying incident during one of her sorties, the Pakistani Army fired a rocket at Gunjan’s helicopter which was ready for take- off at the Kargil air- strip. The chopper just barely managed to escape the attack as the missile missed it and crashed into a hill behind it in a deafening explosion. The brave young officer remained undaunted by this nerve- wracking event and did not let it hamper her focus on her duty. Her life was in danger throughout, but she did not back down, just as would be expected from a true soldier.
On her role in casualty evacuation in the War, Gunjan claimed that it was her biggest motivation and feel- good factor:
“One of our main roles was casualty evacuation. I think it is the ultimate feeling that you can have as a helicopter pilot… it’s a very satisfying feeling when you save a life because that’s what you are there for.”
Gunjan’s work was exemplary, and it shows. However, her tenure with the IAF was a short one which ended a few years after the Kargil War. This was because the concept of permanent commission was not valid back then. She is delighted with the fact that now women are allowed permanent commission in the IAF:
“I think inducting women in the fighter stream is a very, very big and a positive step on part of the Air Force. Being a pioneer, I would say, it feels great and I would only say that I hope these women who’ve come into the fighter stream now give their 100 per cent and really, really touch the sky with glory.”
A story not often mentioned, Gunjan’s unique tale of valour continues to inspire all those who hear of her. She not only proved herself as a true soldier of the country, but also showed the nation what women were capable of. The women officers who enjoy the perks of flying fighter jets, or fly into combat zones, and have been granted permanent commission owe a lot to women like her who proved that women are no less than men anywhere in the world. Now this is a life worth living!
