Harcharan Singh Mangat | |
|---|---|
| Born | 6 June 1932 Ludhiana, India |
| Allegiance |  India |
| Service/ |  Indian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1954–1986 |
| Rank |  Air Commodore |
| Unit | No. 32 Squadron IAF |
| Commands held | No. 32 Squadron IAF |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |  Maha Vir Chakra [1] |
Air Commodore Harcharan Singh Mangat MVC (born 6 June 1932) 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 Commodore Harcharan Singh Mangat was born on 6 June 1932 in Ludhiana, India. His father's name was Shri Ram Singh Mangat.
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 in the western sector, Wing Commander Harcharan Singh Mangat was commanding officer of the No. 32 Squadron IAF, an Operational Bomber Squadron, operating Sukhoi Su-7 aircraft. Wing Commander Harcharan Singh Mangat undertook a number of interdiction, close support missions and photographic reconnaissance missions, without fighter escort, deep into Pakistan territory. The information brought by him from the reconnaissance missions was used in the operational planning and success of Indian Army and the Indian Air Force operations.
For gallantry, professional skills and leadership of the high order, he was awarded India's second highest military award, the Maha Vir Chakra [2] [3]
He later rose to the rank of Air Commodore before retiring.
The Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) is the second highest military decoration in India, after the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It replaced the British Distinguished Service Order (DSO). The medal may be awarded posthumously.
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.
The Vir Chakra is an Indian wartime military bravery award presented for acts of gallantry on the battlefield, on land or in the air or at sea.
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.
Lt. Gen. Hanut Singh Rathore, PVSM, MVC was an Indian General Officer. He was a recipient of India's second highest military decoration, the Maha Vir Chakra, for his role in the Battle of Basantar during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
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.
Lieutenant General Khem Karan Singh, MVC was a General Officer in the Indian Army. He was awarded Padma Bhushan for his services to the nation during the 1971 war. He also received Maha Vir Chakra for his services during Indo-Pakistani war of 1965.
Air Commodore Mehar Singh, MVC, DSO, was a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force. He was affectionately known as 'Mehar Baba', a sobriquet coined by Aspy Engineer. Considered a Legend of the IAF, he last served as the Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Operational Group.
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.
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.
Commodore Babru Bhan Yadav, MVC, also known as B.B. Yadav, was a former Indian Navy Officer. He led the 25th Missile Boat Squadron during Operation Trident in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
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.
Commodore Kasargod Patnashetti Gopal Rao MVC, VSM was an officer in the Indian Navy notable for his participation in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his outstanding contributions during Operation Trident.
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.
Brigadier Amarjit Singh Bal, MVC was an officer of the Indian Army, who served with the 17 Horse. He was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra, India's second highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy, during the Battle of Basantar in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
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.
Brigadier Narinder Singh Sandhu MVC was an Indian Army officer who was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC), the second-highest Indian military decoration, for gallantry, leadership and devotion to duty during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971. Sandhu was commissioned into the Indian Army Armoured Corps in 1953, and participated in the Battle of Asal Uttar during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, and was mentioned in dispatches. He transferred to the Dogra Regiment in 1970, and it was for his performance as commanding officer of the 10th Battalion, Dogra Regiment during an assault on a fortified Pakistan Army position that he was awarded the MVC. He retired as a brigadier and was active in veterans' and gallantry award recipients' matters until his death of colorectal cancer in 2018.
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