28th March, 2022

Author: Preeti Sharma (Content Writer)

Jawahar Lal Bhargava, better known as J.L Bhargava had tried multiple times to join Army but was rejected in interviews and given up hopes to join defense in any way. After completing graduation he made his mind to join MA in Geography from Punjab University, Chandigarh in 1961 until he met his elder brother who was in Panipat at that time insisted him to fill the application against certain vacancies in Air force. He submitted his applications for Administrative branch and for Pilot in Air Force. Meanwhile, due to late results of graduation, he missed out the opportunity of perusing MA and this felt him very disheartened. At this time he almost forgets about the application of Air Force and joined a firm NBCC in Delhi. But destiny has other plans for Bhargava Sir and in October month of same year, he received interview calls for both the Administrative post and Pilot post from Air Force. He got selected for Administrative Branch on 13th November-1961.After this, he went on PABT Test for Pilot branch and there also he was through with the test. Now he has the choice of which branch of Air Force he would serve. He was more inclined towards the Pilot branch but his family was asking him to join the ground job in Air force but overcoming all the discussions, he finally joined Pilot Branch of Air force and went to Jodhpur for pilot training.

After joining flying college in Jodhpur and going through the trainings and exams Bhargava Sir cleared his entire tenure at college with so many zest and accolades. During this time at Flying College, he also was great player in all the times. After completing the training he was selected for Fighter Planes. On 9th March-1963, he got commissioned and he placed at Adampur.

In 1965, while going on a mission to Ferozpur, he was withdrawn from it at the last moment and was sent to Pathankot for delivering some fighter plane. Bhargava sir felt miserable when he heard the news of the person who sent to Ferozpur got shot dead in an incident happened there. In 1970, he shifted to Jodhpur and got posted at air field operation base Uttarlai near to Barmer.

On 5th December 1971, Bhargava Sir from Uttarlai took his fighter plane to the war field. He was in a second account formation attacking Naya Chor Area (a part of Sindh town in Pakistan), It was Bhargava Sir's first mission. Over through the target, he was strike by enemy fire and encountered innumerable emergency situations and made the decision to forcibly remove his parachute and managed in safely landing, during this ejection, he injured his spine. When he finally decided on a location, he sought for a map, but to his astonishment, he didn't have any. The survivability pack did not have a map. Bhargava Sir understood he was in Pakistan territory and switched his wristwatch to PST. Around 12:30, Bhargava Sir heard some distant talks and assumed the Pakistan people were approaching him. He ran, aided by the emergency pack's direction. After a while, he took off his Gear suit and concealed it in the adjacent bushes. There were endless sand Dunes. It was also really exhausting. He came encountered a couple snakes, which frightened him a little and here he had run out of water, he was badly thirsty and was desperate for water. On the verge of giving up he noticed a village, which he mistook for Bhitala.

When he arrived the village, he presented himself as a Pakistan Air Force officer, Flt Lt Mansoor Ali, and asked for water. After having some relief he enquired if that enormous village was Bhitala. Many events happened in between that time but Bhargava Sir manage 13 hours to hide his identity, but Pakistan Army caught him and he told them about his real identity and also told them to do whatever they wanted.

Bhargava stated that Pakistani officers exclusively examined at night. While they went to sleep, the officers would walk in and inquire whatever the strategy was. It was really difficult to determine to each and every enquiry. The pilots' full identities were sought. When questioned about the identities of the pilots, He would only say the names of his siblings. When he was asked who the best pilot in the squadron was, Bhargava Sir said the man in front of you. The cops were astonished when they heard the answer and continued not expressing further. During his stay in Pakistan, some of the officers were supportive and helpful which was quite an unexpected part.

Meanwhile at Lyallpur, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto the then President of Pakistan addressed all the prisoners to be relieved to their base locations. Bhargava Sir came back to India on 1st December-1972 along with it Pakistan had freed 600 soldiers at the time, including 12 Indian pilots and six army officials. It was a huge victory and celebrated in the history of Indian Air Force. He was even offered for Veer Chakra which he denied. After joining back IAF, the last position he held with IAF is Air Commander in 1995. His son is also serving the Air Force .Bhargava Sir is now 81 years old and living peaceful life in Panchkula in Chandigarh and always advice the youth to join defense and have defense orientation in their life.