Grp Capt Parulkar, IAF legend known for daring POW camp escape during 1971 war in Pak, passes away at 82

Indian Express

4 days ago

Speaking to The Indian Express back in 2017, Group Captain Dilip Parulkar (Retd) said, 'If we hadn't been mad enough, we wouldn't have escaped,' as he recounted the thrilling episode when he and two fellow Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter pilots had escaped from a prisoner of war (POW) camp in Rawalpindi after being captured by Pakistani forces following a bombing operation in the 1971 Indo-Pak War.
Grp Capt Parulkar, a decorated fighter pilot of the IAF who fought in both the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan, passed away in Pune on Sunday. He was 82.
Parulkar, who had been ailing for some time, breathed his last at his home in Pune on Sunday morning, his family members said. He is survived by his wife Rajlaxmi and two sons Aditya and Sachin.
He was also a legend of the 1965 war when his plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire, and a bullet struck him in the shoulder, yet he continued to fly in that operation. He was recipient of the prestigious Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) and the Vishisht Seva Medal.
Paying tributes to him, the Indian Air Force said in a post on X, 'Gp Capt DK Parulkar (Retd) Vayu Sena Medal, Vishisht Seva Medal — 1971 War hero, who led a daring escape from captivity in Pakistan, embodying unmatched courage, ingenuity and pride in the IAF — has left for his heavenly abode. All Air Warriors of the IAF express their heartfelt condolences.'
In the post, the IAF also shared the citation for Parulkar when he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal. The citation read, 'During the Indo-Pak conflict in 1965, his aircraft was hit by enemy fire and had injured his right shoulder. Despite the advice from his leader to eject he flew the crippled aircraft back to base, for which he was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal.'
The citation added, 'During 1971 Indo-Pak War, Wg Cdr (He was Wing Commander at the time he was given the award) DK Parulkar while a Prisoner of War in Pakistan displayed initiative, pride in his nation and in the Indian Air Force of an exceptional degree. He was the leader of an escape attempt in which he along with two colleagues escaped from the POW Camp. This attempt carried out in the face of a hostile, treacherous and unpredictable enemy required relentless hard work, determination and valour which was in the highest tradition of the IAF. This act compelled the enemy to respect the calibre of the IAF not only in the air but on the ground also, as well as our great nation.'
Grp Capt Parulkar was commissioned in the IAF in March 1963. During his illustrious career he held varied command and staff appointments and also flew a range of fighter jets. He was posted as Flying Instructor at Air Force Academy, Dundigal and was also on deputation to Singapore for two years as a training instructor for Republic of Singapore Air Force. He also served a ground tenure as Battalion Commander at National Defence Academy in Pune.
In an interview with The Indian Express in 2015, while recalling the episode from the 1965 war, Parulkar had said, 'We knew that we had to face the fire from the anti-aircraft guns mounted on the Patton tanks of the Pakistan Army. While we were flying back, one bullet hit the cockpit from below and further grazed my shoulder. It then passed through the head-rest of my seat and then went out the cockpit. I started bleeding profusely. My team leader asked me to eject but I did not and I continued to fly till we landed back at the base. We later came to know that the head-rest which was hit by the bullet had a crucial part of the parachute. Imagine what would have happened if I had ejected.'
Grp Capt Parulkar had also spoken in support of women being inducted into the fighter stream of the IAF. In 2015, he said, 'Questions of inhuman treatment in case a pilot is taken prisoner by an enemy, are being raised as an argument. But these questions are based on a baseless assumption that women can not protect themselves. I would ask, what is human about any war. Wars are inhuman. And the women pilots who will volunteer for the job are well aware of it.'
Sushant Kulkarni is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express in Pune with 12+ years of experience covering issues related to Crime, Defence, Internal Security and Courts. He has been associated with the Indian Express since July 2010.
Sushant has extensively reported on law and order issues of Pune and surrounding area, Cyber crime, narcotics trade and terrorism. His coverage in the Defence beat includes operational aspects of the three services, the defence research and development and issues related to key defence establishments. He has covered several sensitive cases in the courts at Pune.
Sushant is an avid photographer, plays harmonica and loves cooking. ... Read More