Date of Birth
2 November 1975
Balidan Diwas
25 June 2013
Place of Supreme Sacrifice
Kedarnath Valley, Uttarakhand
State of Origin
Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka
Service Number
17856
Unit / Regiment
157 Helicopter Unit
Operation
Uttarakhand Flood Relief Operations
War / Conflict
Disaster Relief
Biography
Wing Commander Darryl Castelino was a helicopter pilot with 157 Helicopter Unit of the Indian Air Force, based at Air Force Station Barrackpore. During the devastating Uttarakhand floods of June 2013, he flew numerous rescue sorties in treacherous weather conditions to evacuate stranded civilians from the Kedarnath valley. On 25 June 2013, his Mi-17 V5 helicopter crashed in the Kedarnath valley during a rescue mission, killing all crew members on board. Wing Commander Castelino was posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra, India's second-highest peacetime gallantry award, for his extraordinary courage during the rescue operations.
Remembered Alongside
Subedar Basappa Patil
21 Madras, The Madras Regiment · 2016
Lance Naik Bharat Maske
17 Rashtriya Rifles (5 Maratha Light Infantry) · 1999
Craftsman Bharateshwar Rayappa Padanad
Corps of EME (attached to 6 Dogra) · 2015
Lance Naik Gururaj S
21 Rashtriya Rifles / 17 Guards, The Brigade of Guards · 2009
Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad
19 Madras, The Madras Regiment · 2016
Sepoy Hasansab Khudavand
21 Madras, The Madras Regiment · 2016