IAF Chopper Pilot Sq Ldr Bhullar Gets VSM (Gallantry)

New Delhi, Aug 14 (UNI) Squadron Leader Gurjot Singh Bhullar, who flies an IAF Mi-8 helicopter, has been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) this year on the occasion of Independence Day, 2006 for his performance during flood relief operations in Karnataka.

Sqn Ldr Bhullar was deployed at Belgaum for undertaking flood relief operations in Karnataka. On August 4 last year, as the Captain of a Mi-8 helicopter, he was tasked to rescue survivors from a village near Ankli town.

The survivors were stranded on a slanting tiled rooftop, surrounded on all sides by tall trees and deep floodwater. TV antennae and other obstructions of built up area restricted the available airspace to mere two square meters for winching operations that demanded error-free precision flying.

Analysing the gravity of the situation, he decided to winch the survivors one by one. While winching up the first survivor, a portion of the roof collapsed and the survivor, on the winch cable, slipped and hung precariously in the gap therein.

Instead of abandoning the effort, Sqn Ldr Bhullar continued with the rescue from a height of about 35 meters.

Similarly, the remaining two survivors were also winched up to safety one by one.

The Pilot's courage was again put to test when the rescue volunteer slipped and the winch cable got entangled in the antennae.

This was a potentially dangerous situation but Sqn Ldr Bhullar, under extreme adversities of weather and fading light close to sunset, remained composed in controlling the helicopter while a crewmember disentangled the cable to eventually accomplish a successful winching operation.

Sqn Ldr Bhullar displayed exceptional courage in effecting a successful rescue despite hazards and challenging conditions.

Thereafter, displaying indefatigable spirit, grit and determination, he continued with the flood relief operations and rescued 170 survivors in the next ten days that included 23 live winching operations.

UNI DG PAHT1720