Two Indian Air Force (IAF) officers who laid down their lives for the country — Flt. Lt. Babul Guha and Flt. Lt. Krishna Kumar Mohan — will be honoured by St. Joseph’s Boys’ High School and the Old Boys Association (OBA) on Friday.
The men, who were martyred in 1965 and 1971, were also the alumni of the school and their names will be unveiled on the War Memorial in the school on which the names of other war heroes have been engraved. This will be followed by a wreath laying ceremony.
“The school and the OBA have always held the sacrifices made by its alumni serving in the Armed Forces in high regard. A War Memorial Service and wreath laying ceremony are held traditionally each year on the occasion of the OBA Day that falls on the first Sunday of September. Currently, there are around 15 old boys serving in our Armed Forces, continuing over a century long proud tradition,” a press release from the school said.
Trained in the 68th Pilot’s Course, Flt. Lt. Guha was attached to No. 1 Squadron, based at Adampur, flying the Mystere IV fighter aircraft during the time of 1965 Pakistan hostilities. After completing his bombing attack on the ammunition dump in Pakistan’s Sargodha airbase, he was shot by a Sidewinder missile from an F-86 Sabre.
Flt. Lt. Mohan trained as a fighter pilot with the 89/90 Pilot’s Course and was also stationed at Adampur airbase with the 26 squadron when war broke out in December 1971. In an air battle during the war, his Sukhoi was believed to be hit by an enemy missile before crashing into the other side’s territory.
The ceremony on Friday will be attended by Justice Arindam Sinha, High Court of Odisha, and Air Marshal Manavendra Singh, PVSM AVSM VrC VSM ADC, Air Officer Commanding in Chief, Headquarter Training Command, amongst others.
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