This is a thread on another maverick Fighter Pilot – Amarjit Singh Kullar, VrC, VM. Unlike Mad Mally, this one was the nerdy genius kind with an equally lethal impact on the enemy! and tragically he too vanished too soon.
AS Kullar, was from the 15th NDA Course commissioned in the Fighter stream of the IAF in 1960. He was to rise to fame quickly as a meticulous pilot and as a young flying officer with five years service – earned himself a Vir Chakra with the 20 Sqn.
He joined 20 Sqn on 7 Sep 1965 and within a fortnight, had carried out eight Ops sorties in close support of the army. On 8th Sep, he flew in a four aircraft formation which destroyed a supply train at Raiwind railway Station.
The train was carrying ammo needed by the enemy forces in the Kasur region. The denial of this supply was a major factor in causing the withdrawal of enemy armour. During other sorties Kullar destroyed or damaged at least six enemy tanks, armoured vehicles and gun emplacements.
Kullar was always immersed in books, when not on the flight line. Not only did he amass 2,200 flying hours within his first decade in the IAF, he became an A1 Flying instructor (only 40 or so in IAF History so far) and went into becoming an examiner with AEB as an Flt Lt.
For his stellar role as a QFI and examiner, he was awarded the Vishist Seva Medal, yet still, as Flt Lt! he published two books while doing staff college in 1973. These were titled “Tally Ho” (Fiction) and “Air Power for Developing Nations.”
Described as a “very serious, sincere, intelligent and hard-working man”, “a great flyer and an intellectual genius, with an erratic touch”, by his peers, he was much liked, and respected for his “meticulous briefing ”
To add to his illustrious career, he also did a stint as a QFI in Iraq in the early 70s. He was last with 101 Sqn in 1977 and tragically died, some suspect, as a suicide. A brilliant career, destined for a lot more, was cut short and IAF lost another maverick early.
Originally published on Twitter
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