Mandeep Singh Dhillon

Biography

Wing Commander Mandeep Singh Dhillon hailed from Patiala in Punjab and came from a family with a tradition of military service. He completed his schooling at RIMC, Dehradun, and joined the prestigious National Defence Academy as an Air Force cadet. Selected for the flying branch of the Indian Air Force, he trained as a helicopter pilot. After his basic flying training he served at various air bases, flying different types of helicopters across terrain ranging from snow-clad mountains to the jungles of North-East India. By 2017 he had completed nearly 18 years of service and had developed into a highly professional and capable pilot with expertise in varied air operations. He later took command of the 115 Helicopter Unit based at Air Force Station Tezpur, Assam. A long-distance runner and accomplished hockey player, he had also served as an instructor at the NDA, mentoring many young cadets. In July 2017, torrential rain and landslides struck parts of the North-East, and his unit was tasked with rescuing stranded civilians in the remote areas of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. On 4 July 2017, flying repeated sorties in worsening weather to save people trapped after a major landslide at Sagli village in Papum Pare district, his helicopter lost contact with air traffic control shortly after take-off and crashed near Chabua, Assam, laying down his life in the line of duty.