Flight Lieutenant Suhas Biswas, AC (9 September 1924 – 1 September 1957) was an officer in the Indian Air Force who was the first Air Force Officer to be awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime military award, in the year of 1953. He was also the first person from West Bengal to receive the award.[1][2][3]
Suhas Biswas | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Flt Lt Suhas Biswas | |
| Born | 9 September 1924 Calcutta, British India |
| Died | 1 September 1957 (aged 32) Nilgiri mountains range |
| Allegiance |  British Raj India |
| Service | Royal Indian Air Force Indian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1944-1957 |
| Rank |  Flight Lieutenant |
| Awards |  Ashoka Chakra |
Early life
editSuhas Biswas was born in a Bengali Christian family in Kolkata, West Bengal, the son of Samuel Biswas and Diana Biswas. After completing his education Biswas joined the Indian Air Force as a pilot in 1944 and became a commissioned officer.[4][5]
Credits
editIn 1952 Biswas was working in a Communication Flight unit in Lucknow. On 3 February 1952 senior army officials were returning to New Delhi after an official visit. Biswas was in control of their aircraft. Soon after it took off a crew member observed an engine malfunction; subsequently a fire broke out. Biswas first tried to extinguish it, but it was getting difficult to control the aircraft. He made a belly landing at Sandila village in Uttar Pradesh and saved the lives of all the passengers. Biswas was awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India's highest peacetime military decoration.[1]
Death
editBiswas died in a crash on 1 September 1957 in the Nilgiri Mountains while flying a Dakota aircraft towards Mangalore on an operational mission.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b Rashmi Aggarwal (January 0101). "Ashoka Chakra Recipients". Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- ^ a b "Ashoka Chakra". bharat-rakshak.com. Archived from the original on 20 December 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ "Medal Rack". 18 February 2017. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ "FLT LT SUHAS BISWAS". Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- ^ FLIGHT LT - SUHAS BISWAS. Aan. 2017. ISBN 9788192857053.