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Time of India
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Small-town roots, sky-high valour: Bihar's sons at the helm of Operation Sindoor
Patna: No one would have thought that a decision to establish a military airbase at Chunapur in Purnia after the 1962 India-China war would give wings to the dream of a child in the town a few years later to fly jets and oversee a successful mission like Operation Sindoor against terrorists to avenge the killings of 26 tourists at Pahalgam. Air Marshal Awadesh Kumar Bharti , who as the DG Air Operations (DGAO) played a key role in the success of Operation Sindoor, is the man who nurtured that ambition while being a student of Middle School, Parora, 10 km away from Purnia town. He not only cracked the entrance exam of Sainik School Tilaiya , now in Jharkhand, but also of the National Defence Academy (NDA) and got commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF in June 1987.A decorated officer, Air Marshal Bharti has been awarded Vayu Sena (VM) and Ati Vishisht Seva (AVSM) medals for his distinguished also has its reason to celebrate the country's military might, as defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh , who kept a hawk's eye on the preparedness for the Operation Sindoor launched on May 7, hails from Muzaffarpur in the state and had his schooling from Netarhat School, now in Jharkhand. His commitment was reflected in his statement on assuming the charge of defence secretary last year when Rajesh said, "The country will forever be indebted to our brave soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of the motherland. Their extraordinary courage and selflessness inspire us to work towards making India a safe and prosperous nation."The Bharti family is proud of the achievement of its members. The eldest among the three brothers and a sister born to Jiwachh Lal Yadav and Urmila Devi from Jhunni Kalan village in Purnia district, Air Marshal Bharti had that fire since childhood to serve the country by joining the armed forces, his brother Mithilesh Bharti told this newspaper over phone from Purnia on Wednesday. His youngest brother, Dr Rajesh Kumar Bharti, who is a noted medical practitioner, told TOI, "My visionary grandfather had a dream to see his grandchild soar in the skies. My grandfather was a strict disciplinarian and used to recite stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata every evening. He would take Awadesh to all village fairs to make him aware about the rich heritage and roots and inculcated in him the Indian 'sanskars' and good virtues."He started his schooling from Purnia Convent. "Our parents were living in Kosi Colony as dad was working in finance dept of Kosi Irrigation Project. He was a brilliant student. His teachers still remember him as one of the best students and my brother keeps visiting his school and interacts with the faculty and children when he visits Purnia. Then he went to the boarding school at Adarsh Madhya Vidyalaya, Parora and Sainik School, Tilaiya, followed by the NDA in Pune where he was the topper. He was awarded the prestigious 'Sword of Honour'," Dr Bharti swimming, playing golf and walking are his few hobbies, Dr Bharti father is proud of his son for what he is doing for the country. Air Marshal Bharti makes it a point every year to visit his home town in Srinagar Hata where his parents have been residing for the last 35 years. Mithilesh, who works for a pharmaceutical company, said, "Whenever bhaiya visits Purnia, he meets people. He also visits the village home," he said. Earlier, Air Marshal Amit Dev of Sitamarhi and an alumnus of Patna's St Michael's High School, was the DGAO during the Balakot airstrikes following the Pulwama terror attack on the CRPF convoy in 2019. He is a recipient of three Presidential awards. He was also appointed as ADC to the President of India. His subordinate and Group Captain Shashi Bhushan Sharma (retd) told TOI that his decisions were precise and timely, yet he always lent a patient ear, even to the quietest voice in the room. "To us, that was leadership in its truest form. I salute the man, the mentor, and the Marshal," Sharma said.
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Recovery of Pakistan artillery points to close Chinese, Turkish links
New Delhi: The failed attempts by the Pakistan Air Force on Indian targets and recovery of artillery have revealed close Chinese and Turkish links, according to officials. At the forefront of Pakistan's recent aerial aggression was the PL-15 air-to-air missiles that were deployed by Pakistan Air Force but failed to hit their intended targets, officials said. #Operation Sindoor The damage done at Pak bases as India strikes to avenge Pahalgam Why Pakistan pleaded to end hostilities Kashmir's Pahalgam sparks Karachi's nightmare During a press briefing on Monday, DG Air Operations, Air Marshal AK Bharti, presented visual evidence of the missile remnants during a joint military press briefing. "You can see the pieces of it on the screen," he said, showcasing the debris of the PL-15 that fell inside Indian territory, including a relatively intact rear section recovered from Hoshiarpur, Punjab. Similarly, long-range rockets, loiter munitions and Turkish-origin Bayraktar Akinci Yiha drones were neutralised. The Indian armed forces further showcased the visual evidence of quadcopters being shot down by Indian Air Force. According to leaked documents from the China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation, Pakistan recently acquired PL-15 missiles with a significantly reduced operational range of approximately 145 km - less than half the estimated 300 km range of the indigenous PL-15 model. As per reports, the Pakistan Air Force received its initial batch of Bayraktar Akinci drones from Turkey in April 2023. Earlier reports have suggested Chinese-made J-10 and J-17 fighters received significant damages during the India-Pakistan conflict. The Chinese apps and satellite phones purchased by the Pakistan Army in the past have been found active in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Jammu and Kashmir. . Live Events After the Pahalgam attack on April 22, Pakistan in retaliation to India's action against terrorist camps targeted 26 locations on Friday, using Chinese SH-15 artillery, Turkish drones and Fatah-2 missiles, along with F-16 and JF-17 aircraft, as per an official estimate. A day later, Pakistan fired Fateh-1 missile targeting a Gurudwara in a civilian-populated area of J&K. Another missile was intercepted by the Indian defence system over Haryana's Sirsa on Saturday. The official maintained "Fateh-1 missile has proven to be a complete disaster. It has failed multiple times - crashing, veering off course, or simply failing to launch." Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
India.com
12-05-2025
- Politics
- India.com
FACT CHECK: India attacked Pakistan's nuclear facility at Kirana Hills? IAF reveals truth
In a significant development after the ceasefire between India and Pakistan on Saturday, various report covered that the Indian Airforce had hit a nuclear site in Pakistan, leading to nuclear leak. However, clarifying every detail on the social media buzz, Director General of Air Operations, Air Marshal AK Bharti has said that the Indian armed forces did not target the nuclear facility at Kirana Hills in Pakistan. Here are all the details you need to know about the recent development. When asked if Indian Armed Forces hit Pakistan's Kirana Hills, DG Air Operations Air Marshal AK Bharti said in the Special Defence Briefing on India-Pakistan military action that 'Thank you for telling us that Kirana Hills houses some nuclear installations. We did not know about it. We have not hit Kirana Hills. I did not brief in my briefing yesterday.' VIDEO | Special Defence Briefing on India-Pakistan military action: When asked if Indian Armed Forces hit Pakistan's Kirana Hills, DG Air Operations Air Marshal AK Bharti says, 'Thank you for telling us that Kirana Hills houses some nuclear installations. We did not know about… — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 12, 2025 Indian Airforce shares details on Operation Sindoor Air Marshal AK Bharti stated on Monday that the purpose of Operation Sindoor was to target terrorists, and not to engage with the Pakistan Military or Pakistani civilians. Addressing a press briefing, Air Marshal Bharti said, 'Our fight is with the terrorists, our fight is not with the Pakistan Military or Pakistan civilians, so that is very clear. We are very clear in our targeting.' Air Marshal emphasised that the Indian Armed Forces showcased their effectiveness through precise strikes during Operation Sindoor. 'Our counter systems and trained air defence operators are fully capable, and our nation's indigenous capability has proven its effectiveness. It has been demonstrated that no matter what kind of technology emerges, we are prepared to counter it. There is no need for excessive words, you have seen with your own eyes the consequences we have delivered,' he stated. (With inputs from agencies)
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
India did not hit Pakistan's alleged nuclear installations at Kirana Hills: Air Marshal AK Bharti
Air Marshal AK Bharti , DG Air Operations, on Monday said that India has not hit any targets in Pakistan 's Kirana Hills , which reportedly houses nuclear installations. #Operation Sindoor The damage done at Pak bases as India strikes to avenge Pahalgam Why Pakistan pleaded to end hostilities Kashmir's Pahalgam sparks Karachi's nightmare Taking a sarcastic dig at a question in a press conference, Bharti said, "Thank you for telling us that Kirana Hills houses some nuclear installations. We did not know about it. We have not hit Kirana Hills. I did not brief in my briefing yesterday." AK Bharti said that India's battle was with terrorists but the Pakistani military chose to support terrorists and widened the conflict. 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dog licks arent kisses. Heres what your dog really means when it licks you. Cleverst Undo "We also reiterated that our fight was with terrorists and their support infrastructure and not with Pakistan military. However, it is a pity that the Pakistan military chose to intervene and bat for the terrorists which compelled us to respond in kind," Air Marshall Bharti said, adding that they are responsible for all the damage caused to them. Live Events RECOMMENDED STORIES FOR YOU The DGAO talked about how the Indian forces blunted the Pakistan's offensive and reduced damage to both civilian and military infrastructure in the country. Pakistan used Chinese-origin missiles to attack India, which missed their targets, Bharti said. The Indian military showed the debris of a likely PL-15 air-to-air missile, which is of Chinese origin and was used by Pakistan during the attack on India. Meanwhile, Air Marshal AK Bharti also presented the composite picture of targets engaged by the Indian Air Force during Operation Sindoor . Numerous waves of drones and unmanned combat aerial vehicles employed by Pakistan were also thwarted by the indigenously developed soft and hard kill counter-UAS systems and the well-trained Indian Air Defence personnel, said DG Air Operations Air Marshal AK Bharti.
News18
12-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Operation Sindoor: Chinese Missile, Turkish Drones Of Pakistan Shot Down By Indian Defence Systems
Last Updated: DG Air Operations Air Marshal AK Bharti said that the PL-15 Missile had missed its target and was successfully intercepted by the Indian defence systems. The Indian Armed Forces on Monday said that China-based PL-15 missile and Turkish-origin YIHA and Songar drones were launched by Pakistan Armed Forces (PAF) towards India and these were successfully shot down by the Indian defence systems. While addressing the press conference, DG Air Operations Air Marshal AK Bharti said that the PL-15 Missile had missed its target and was successfully intercepted by the Indian defence systems. '… Some of the results achieved in encountering the enemy threat vectors over the last week are now being shown on the screen. PL-15 missile, which is of Chinese origin; this missile has missed its target, and you can see the pieces of it which are available with us. Another weapon that was found was long-range rockets. We have talked about the Loiter munitions and unmanned aerial systems… All these have been brought down by our trained crew and Air Defence system," DG Air Operations said. The Indian military also showed the debris of a likely PL-15 air-to-air missile, which is of Chinese origin and was used by Pakistan during the attack on India. The wreckage of the Turkish-origin YIHA and Songar drones that were shot down by India were also shown. First Published: May 12, 2025, 15:22 IST
