Ajjamada B. Devaiah

Last updated

Squadron Leader

A. B. Devaiah

Maha Vir Chakra
AjjamadaB.DevaiahPic.jpg
Born24 December 1932
Kodagu, Karnataka, India
Died1965 (aged 32-33)
Pakistan
AllegianceFlag of India.svg  India
Service/branchAir Force Ensign of India (2023).svg  Indian Air Force
Rank Indian IAF OF-3.svg Squadron Leader
Unit No. 1 Squadron IAF
Battles/wars Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Awards Maha Vir Chakra ribbon.svg Maha Vir Chakra [1]

Squadron Leader Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya MVC is the only Indian Air Force officer to be posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC). The Maha Vir Chakra is the second highest wartime gallantry award, below only to the Param Vir Chakra. During the 1965 India-Pakistan War, Devayya (called 'Wings of Fire') was part of a strike mission targeting the Pakistani airbase Sargodha when he was attacked by an enemy aircraft. He shot down the enemy pursuer's plane but in the process his aircraft was damaged and he went missing. Presumably he died in Pakistani territory. Twenty-three years later, in 1988, he was posthumously awarded the MVC award. [2] [3]

Contents

Biography

Devayya was born on 24 December 1932 at Coorg, Karnataka. He was the son of Dr. Bopayya.

In 1954 he was commissioned into the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a pilot. [4] At the outbreak of the 1965 war, he was an instructor at the Air Force Flying College. He was posted to No.1 "Tigers" Squadron and flew the Mystere IVa fighter bomber. [5]

As a senior flying instructor, Squadron Leader Devayya was part of an aircraft strike mission which went to Sargodha airfield in Pakistan. Despite being a standby in case one of the first 12 aircraft dropped out, he joined the air battle. Devayya was intercepted by a PAF F-104 Starfighter flown by Pakistani pilot Flt. Lt. Amjad Hussain. Devayya successfully evaded the Starfighter's attacks. But the faster aircraft caught up with him and damaged his plane. Yet Devayya attacked the Starfighter and hit it. The Starfighter went down, while Hussain ejected and parachuted. It is not known what happened to Devayya. The IAF Mysteres were short on fuel and efficiency. Devayya's Mystere was destroyed, and it is assumed that he died on Pakistani soil. [5] [6]

Aftermath

The IAF was not aware of what had happened to Devayya, first recording him missing and later declaring him dead. Later, a British writer, John Fricker, was commissioned by the Pakistani Air Force to write an account of the war derived from Pakistani sources in 1979. [5] [6] What led to Devayya's actual death still remains a mystery. It was revealed much later by Pakistan that Devayya's body was found almost intact by villagers not very far from Sargodha and buried. [6] [7]

From Fricker's work, the IAF realised what had truly happened and in 1988 announced that the Maha Vir Chakra was to be awarded to Devayya posthumously. This is the only posthumous Maha Vir Chakra that the IAF has awarded. [5] [6] [2] [3]

Mrs. Devayya accepted the posthumous Maha Vir Chakra in 1988, nearly 23 years after the war. [8] On 7 September 2009, the private bus stand circle in Madikeri in Kodagu was named after him. [9] [10] [11] [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">S. K. Kaul</span>

Air Chief Marshal Swaroop Krishna Kaul, PVSM, MVC, ADC is a former Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force. Kaul served as the Air Chief from 1993 to 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dassault Mystère IV</span> Fighter-bomber aircraft family, first transonic aircraft of the French Air Force

The Dassault MD.454 Mystère IV is a 1950s French fighter-bomber aircraft, the first transonic aircraft to enter service with the French Air Force. It was used in large-scale combat in the Israeli Air Force during the 1967 Six Day War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">45th Cavalry (India)</span> Indian Army regiment

45 Cavalry is an armoured regiment in the Armoured Corps of the Indian Army. The regiment distinguished itself in operations during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War winning one Maha Vir Chakra.


The No.3 Squadron (Cobras) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) operates as a Close Air Support (CAS) and reconnaissance unit. Currently based at NAL Air Force Station, No. 3 Sqn falls under the Western Air Command, forms the 46 wing of the IAF.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indo-Pakistani air war of 1965</span> Armed conflict between India and Pakistan

During the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965, the Indian and Pakistani Air Forces engaged in large-scale aerial combat for the first time. In the air war, which took place in September, both air forces conducted thousands of defensive and offensive sorties over Indian and Pakistani airspace. Both India and Pakistan claimed victory in the air war; Pakistan claimed to have destroyed 104 Indian aircraft and lost 19, and India claimed to have destroyed 73 Pakistani aircraft and lost 35 of its own. The air war ended in a stalemate.

Air Commodore Ramesh Sakharam Benegal MVC AVSM was an ex-officer of the Indian Air Force and a recipient of Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest award for gallantry, and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 27 Squadron IAF</span> Military unit

No. 27 Squadron IAF is a Ground-Attack and Close Air Support squadron of the Indian Air Force, operating from Gorakhpur AFS, under Central Air Command.

No. 31 Squadron IAF, nicknamed the Lions, is a Ground Attack squadron of the Indian Air Force, equipped with Su-30MKI aircraft operating from Jodhpur Air Force Station.

Air Marshal Minoo Merwan Engineer, PVSM, MVC, DFC was a former Air Officer in the Indian Air Force. He is one of the most decorated officers in the Indian Air Force, with the second-highest civil decoration - the Padma Bhushan, two gallantry awards - the Maha Vir Chakra and the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the highest peace-time distinguished service award - the Param Vishisht Seva Medal.

Air Marshal Cheppudira Devaiah Subbaiah is a former pilot and officer in the Indian Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hrushikesh Moolgavkar</span> Indian Air Chief Marshal (1920–2015)

Air Chief Marshal Hrushikesh Moolgavkar, PVSM, MVC was a former Air officer in the Indian Air Force. He served as the 9th Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force from 1 February 1976 till 31 August 1978.

No. 106 Squadron ("Lynxes") is a squadron of the Indian Air Force. It was raised on 1 May 1957 with eight newly inducted PR.57 English Electric Canberras in the strategic photo-reconnaissance role. Initially positioned at Bareilly, later the squadron moved to Agra. When the Canberras were retired in 2007, the squadron was equipped with Hawker Siddeley HS 748 ("Avros"). The motto of the squadron is "Sarva Peshayami".

Wing Commander Padmanabha Gautam, MVC & Bar, VM was an officer in the Indian Air Force. He was awarded the India's second-highest war-time gallantry award, the Maha Vir Chakra twice. Awarded during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Gautam is one of only six officers to have been decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra twice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jag Mohan Nath</span> Indian military personnel (1930–2023)

Wing Commander Jag Mohan Nath, & bar was an Indian Air Force officer. He was the first of the six officers to have been decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest war time military decoration, twice. He was decorated for his operations in the Sino-Indian War of 1962 and Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chandan Singh (Air Vice Marshal)</span> Indian military officer (1925–2020)

Air Vice Marshal Chandan Singh, MVC, AVSM, VrC was an Air Officer in the Indian Air Force. A highly decorated officer, Singh was awarded the Vir Chakra during the Sino-Indian War and the Maha Vir Chakra during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

Air Commodore Harcharan Singh Mangat MVC was an ex-officer of the Indian Air Force, who participated in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 for which he was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest military award.

Air Vice Marshal Cecil Vivian Parker, MVC, VM is a former air officer of the Indian Air Force. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, he was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest military decoration. He last served as the Commandant of the Air Force Academy.

Air Marshal Ravinder Nath Bhardwaj PVSM MVC VM is a retired officer of the Indian Air Force and a recipient of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Maha Vir Chakra and the Vayu Sena Medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amar Jit Singh Sandhu</span> Indian Air Force fighter pilot

Wing Commander Amar Jit Singh Sandhu VrC, VM was an Indian Air Force officer and fighter pilot. He was awarded the Vir Chakra and the Vayusena Medals. He is credited with shooting down a Pakistan Air Force North American F-86 Sabre in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

References

  1. ↑ "SQUADRON LEADER AJJAMADA BOPAYYA DEVAYYA (4810) VM". Indian Air Force official website.
  2. 1 2 "Maha Vir Chakra awards (IAF)". Bharat Rakshak (Indian Armed Forces). Archived from the original on 10 July 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Maha Vir Chakra awards (1988)". Bharat Rakshak (Indian Armed Forces). Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  4. ↑ "A B Devayya". Bharat Rakshak (Indian Armed Forces). Archived from the original on 25 April 2009. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Maha Vir Chakra Awardee List". Bharat Rakshak (Indian Armed Forces). Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Devayya's Encounter - 1965 War - 7 September 1965". Bharat Rakshak (Indian Armed Forces). Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Squadron Leader Ajammada Boppaya Devayya". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  8. ↑ "Epilogue : Where are they now?". Bharat Rakshak. Archived from the original on 5 May 2005. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  9. ↑ Correspondent, Special (8 September 2013). "Tributes paid to war hero Devayya". The Hindu. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  10. ↑ Coorg. "Kodagu blog". coorgblog. blogspot. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  11. ↑ Dinesh, B C (20 December 2010). "Dedicated to nation's defence". Archived from the original on 17 April 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  12. ↑ Staff Correspondent (9 September 2009). "Circle named after A.B. Devaiah". The Hindu . Archived from the original on 14 September 2009. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.