This book celebrates the bravery and sacrifice of the pilots who have protected India’s skies. From the early days of aviation to modern warfare, discover the inspiring stories of courage and patriotism.

The men in uniform are magnetic. Their magnetism, however, goes beyond the stars and trophies. It lies in their ability to confront danger so that billions of their countrymen sleep in peace. Air Warriors: True Stories of Valour and Courage from the Indian Air Force by Wing Commander Arijit Ghosh (retd) honours the men in blue. It’s a book that educates, engages and inspires.

Tracking the journey of the Indian Air Force to the six men who were trained in the United Kingdom during the Colonial era, the opening story takes us to 1932. These six brave men, ‘were instrumental in paving the way for the birth of the Indian Air Force (IAF), proving in no uncertain terms, the mettle of Indian pilots to the world’. Among them is Air Marshal Subroto Mukherjee, Father and Architect of the Indian Air Force. (In 2022, the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA) ranked the IAF third in the world for total fighting strength, based on factors like attack power, defense capacity, and modernization.)

Ghosh’s book is an eye opener for many civilians, citing facts that most are unaware of such as that flying in India is traceable to 1910. The heroic stories are Top Gun played out in real life. It’s impossible to imagine the acts of bravery and fortitude of these men, some ‘who never grow old’. There are some sad truths but many glorious moments.

Among the spirited stories is that of the revival of World War II B24 Liberators, the abandoned planes that were brought back from a graveyard in Kanpur, as the nascent IAF did not have heavy bombers to fly to the rescue of Maharajah Hari Singh of Kashmir during the Pukhtoon raids. Braveheart Jamshed Kaikobad Munshi repaired them under the aegis of the newly formed HAL and flew them to Bangalore, accompanied by his determined wife who sat in the open cockpit in a fur coat.

Then, there is the formation of aerobatics team, a motivating moment as the team travelled across the world showcasing their excellent flying skills and formations. There is the story of friendship between wartime foes, a pilot who was saved due to moment of kindness.

Among the sad truths is the ghastly 1962 Indo-China war, the role of the IAF and the memorial of young rifleman Jaswant Singh in Arunachal Pradesh. As I have visited the sacred memorial in Arunachal, I was transported to the location and the reverence with which the courageous soldier is treated long after his sacrifice.

Another pivotal story is that of smart bombs that were game changers during the Kargil War in 1999. I have seen the war movie at the memorial in Kargil, even sighted the treacherous Tiger Hill, which looks like an impossible climb in the snowy region full of jarring rocky hills.

The book has more hair-raising stories of aerial warfare, dogfights, the torture of a flight lieutenant and rescue operations conducted in the aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami in Maldives and Car Nicobar. The author paints a vivid picture of the valiant acts, the army of men that supports the operations behind the scenes, and the teamwork that make IAF a prestigious military institution.

For most, unfamiliar with hierarchy, squadrons and war planes, the reading can be baffling, needing concentration and due attention. But Wing Commander Ghosh is a deft writer, interlinking the changes in technology, history, role of the many people and their intertwined lives in a captivating style. His extensive research brings to light the heart-wrenching sacrifices made by these brave men, often masked by stoic exteriors.

Focussing on the heroic deeds and milestone moments of the prestigious defence institution, the book ends with the author’s personal experience of entering the academy and finally hanging the uniform, but ‘deep down we all knew we would never actually leave, because the blue uniform, once worn, never really lets you go.’ Like a poet, he describes his posting in Rajasthan, the beauty of the Thar desert where he was in-charge to establish a new Air Force base. A former Ranji Trophy player for the forces, the author even played a match under his brother’s captaincy during his tenure. The victorious siblings became part of the long list of siblings who played together and scored well. He has written over 100 articles on international cricket, education, military history and personal memoirs for Outlook magazine, post-retirement.

This is a book that deserves to be read many times and occupy a place of pride on your bookshelf.

Book Details

Publisher: Penguin Veer
Pages: 288
Price: INR 299