Damodar Kashinath Jatar

Captain Damodar Kashinath Jatar, AC was an experienced pilot of the Air India International Corporation who was posthumously awarded with India's highest peacetime gallantry award Ashoka Chakra. He was the first Indian civilian who got Ashoka Chakra.[1][2]

Captain

Damodar Kashinath Jatar

AC
DiedApril 11 1955
South China Sea
Cause of deathAircraft Ditching
NationalityIndian
Citizenship India
OccupationPilot
Awards Ashoka Chakra

Gallant act

On April 11, 1955, he was the Captain of Air India's Lockheed L-749A Constellation aircraft, "Kashmir Princess", from Hong Kong to Jakarta on a special chartered flight, carrying, amongst others, some Chinese delegates who were to join the Afro- Asian Conference at Bandung. At about 4 hours 53 minutes local time, when the aircraft was at an altitude of 18000 ft, in the vicinity of Natuna Island in the South China Sea, an explosion took place in the starboard wheel-well. Soon afterwards, an intense fire developed and spread rapidly over the right wing of the plane, while the whole interior of the aircraft, including the cockpit, was filled with smoke. The situation was very grave as there was no landing ground within about 160 km. Without hesitation or fear, the brave pilot decided to ditch his plane. He carried out all precautionary measures for the emergency landing and gave quick and precise orders in a cool and unperturbed manner which commanded instantaneous obedience from all members of the crew. And this eliminated panic and confusion. He also made a quick and accurate selection of the spot for ditching the aircraft in the sea. It was this brave decision, which unfortunately resulted in the self-sacrifice of the Captain, but saved three lives by enabling the survivors to reach the shore.

Ashoka Chakra awardee

Captain D.K. Jatar was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, the highest civilian gallantry award of independent India. Captain Jatar, thus, became the first civilian recipient of this gallantry award for his bravery and supreme sacrifice.

Reference
  1. Lala, R.M. (2003). Beyond The Last Blue Mountain. Penguin Books Ltd. ISBN 978-81-8475-331-8. OCLC 1132331728.
  2. "D. K. JATAR | Gallantry Awards". gallantryawards.gov.in. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
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