Squadron LeaderAjjamada Boppayya Devayya MVC is the only Indian Air Force officer to be posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC). The Maha Vir Chakra is the second highest wartime gallantry award, behind only to the Param Vir Chakra. During the 1965 India-Pakistan War, Devayya (called 'Wings of Fire') was part of a strike mission targeting the Pakistani airbase Sargodha when he was attacked by an enemy aircraft. He shot down the enemy pursuer's plane but in the process his aircraft was damaged and he went missing. Presumably he died in Pakistani territory. Twenty-three years later, in 1988, he was posthumously awarded the MVC award.[2][3]
As a senior flying instructor, Squadron Leader Devayya was part of an aircraft strike mission which went to Sargodha airfield in Pakistan. Despite being a standby in case one of the first 12 aircraft dropped out, he joined the air battle. Devayya was intercepted by a PAFF-104 Starfighter flown by Pakistani pilot Flt. Lt. Amjad Hussain. Devayya successfully evaded the Starfighter's attacks. But the faster aircraft caught up with him and damaged his plane. Yet Devayya attacked the Starfighter and hit it. The Starfighter went down, while Hussain ejected and parachuted. It is not known what happened to Devayya. The IAF Mysteres were short on fuel and efficiency. Devayya's Mystere was destroyed, and it is assumed that he died on Pakistani soil.[5][6]
Aftermathedit
The IAF was not aware of what had happened to Devayya, first recording him missing and later declaring him dead. Later, a British writer, John Fricker, was commissioned by the Pakistani Air Force to write an account of the war derived from Pakistani sources in 1979.[5][6] What led to Devayya's actual death still remains a mystery. It was revealed much later by Pakistan that Devayya's body was found almost intact by villagers not very far from Sargodha and buried.[6][7]
From Fricker's work, the IAF realised what had truly happened and in 1988 announced that the Maha Vir Chakra was to be awarded to Devayya posthumously. This is the only posthumous Maha Vir Chakra that the IAF has awarded.[5][6][2][3]
Mrs. Devayya accepted the posthumous Maha Vir Chakra in 1988, nearly 23 years after the war.[8] On 7 September 2009, the private bus stand circle in Madikeri in Kodagu was named after him.[9][10][11][12]
ajjamada, devaiah, squadron, leader, ajjamada, boppayya, devayya, only, indian, force, officer, posthumously, awarded, maha, chakra, maha, chakra, second, highest, wartime, gallantry, award, behind, only, param, chakra, during, 1965, india, pakistan, devayya, . Squadron Leader Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya MVC is the only Indian Air Force officer to be posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra MVC The Maha Vir Chakra is the second highest wartime gallantry award behind only to the Param Vir Chakra During the 1965 India Pakistan War Devayya called Wings of Fire was part of a strike mission targeting the Pakistani airbase Sargodha when he was attacked by an enemy aircraft He shot down the enemy pursuer s plane but in the process his aircraft was damaged and he went missing Presumably he died in Pakistani territory Twenty three years later in 1988 he was posthumously awarded the MVC award 2 3 Squadron LeaderA B DevaiahMaha Vir ChakraBorn24 December 1932Kodagu Karnataka IndiaDied1965 aged 32 33 PakistanAllegiance IndiaService wbr branchIndian Air ForceRankSquadron LeaderUnitNo 1 Squadron IAFBattles warsIndo Pakistani War of 1965AwardsMaha Vir Chakra 1 Contents 1 Biography 2 Aftermath 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksBiography editDevayya was born on 24 December 1932 at Coorg Karnataka He was the son of Dr Bopayya In 1954 he was commissioned into the Indian Air Force IAF as a pilot 4 At the outbreak of the 1965 war he was an instructor at the Air Force Flying College He was posted to No 1 Tigers Squadron and flew the Mystere IVa fighter bomber 5 As a senior flying instructor Squadron Leader Devayya was part of an aircraft strike mission which went to Sargodha airfield in Pakistan Despite being a standby in case one of the first 12 aircraft dropped out he joined the air battle Devayya was intercepted by a PAF F 104 Starfighter flown by Pakistani pilot Flt Lt Amjad Hussain Devayya successfully evaded the Starfighter s attacks But the faster aircraft caught up with him and damaged his plane Yet Devayya attacked the Starfighter and hit it The Starfighter went down while Hussain ejected and parachuted It is not known what happened to Devayya The IAF Mysteres were short on fuel and efficiency Devayya s Mystere was destroyed and it is assumed that he died on Pakistani soil 5 6 Aftermath editThe IAF was not aware of what had happened to Devayya first recording him missing and later declaring him dead Later a British writer John Fricker was commissioned by the Pakistani Air Force to write an account of the war derived from Pakistani sources in 1979 5 6 What led to Devayya s actual death still remains a mystery It was revealed much later by Pakistan that Devayya s body was found almost intact by villagers not very far from Sargodha and buried 6 7 From Fricker s work the IAF realised what had truly happened and in 1988 announced that the Maha Vir Chakra was to be awarded to Devayya posthumously This is the only posthumous Maha Vir Chakra that the IAF has awarded 5 6 2 3 Mrs Devayya accepted the posthumous Maha Vir Chakra in 1988 nearly 23 years after the war 8 On 7 September 2009 the private bus stand circle in Madikeri in Kodagu was named after him 9 10 11 12 See also editList of solved missing person cases pre 2000References edit SQUADRON LEADER AJJAMADA BOPAYYA DEVAYYA 4810 VM Indian Air Force official website a b Maha Vir Chakra awards IAF Bharat Rakshak Indian Armed Forces Archived from the original on 10 July 2014 Retrieved 22 June 2014 a b Maha Vir Chakra awards 1988 Bharat Rakshak Indian Armed Forces Retrieved 22 June 2014 A B Devayya Bharat Rakshak Indian Armed Forces Archived from the original on 25 April 2009 Retrieved 11 April 2014 a b c d Maha Vir Chakra Awardee List Bharat Rakshak Indian Armed Forces Retrieved 11 April 2014 a b c d Devayya s Encounter 1965 War 7 September 1965 Bharat Rakshak Indian Armed Forces Retrieved 11 April 2014 Squadron Leader Ajammada Boppaya Devayya Bharat Rakshak Retrieved 11 April 2014 Epilogue Where are they now Bharat Rakshak Archived from the original on 5 May 2005 Retrieved 11 April 2014 Correspondent Special 8 September 2013 Tributes paid to war hero Devayya The Hindu Retrieved 3 January 2014 Coorg Kodagu blog coorgblog blogspot Retrieved 3 January 2014 Dinesh B C 20 December 2010 Dedicated to nation s defence Archived from the original on 17 April 2014 Retrieved 16 April 2014 Staff Correspondent 9 September 2009 Circle named after A B Devaiah The Hindu Archived from the original on 14 September 2009 Retrieved 16 April 2014 External links editTigers Over Sargodha Archived 12 August 2019 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ajjamada B Devaiah amp oldid 1209109163, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
