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Wing Commander Amar Jit Singh Sandhu VrC, VM (23 January 1933 – 24 September 1971) was an Officer and fighter pilot of the Indian Air Force.  He was awarded with medals for bravery twice including the Vir Chakra and the Vayu Sena Medal during his service. He is credited with shooting down a North American F-86 Sabre of the Pakistan Air Force in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

Early Life
Amar Jit Singh Sandhu was born on 23 January 1933 in Layllpur, Punjab, British India. His family migrated to Sirsa, Haryana ( then Punjab),India after Partition in 1947.

Military career
Amar Jit Singh Sandhu was commissioned in May,1954 as a Pilot Officer in the Flying Branch of the Indian Air Force as a Fighter Pilot.Sandhu was promoted to Flying Officer after one year of service in May, 1955.

Vayu Sena Medal
In 1964, Amar Jit Singh Sandhu was a Flight Lieutenant (abbreviated as Flt Lt) in the Indian Air Force. As mentioned in his citation below, he was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal for carrying out a 'deadstick' forced landing after experienced a flame out of engine in the Gnat aircraft followed by a total electrical failure which made it almost impossible to control the aircraft. He chose to land the plane rather than ejecting.

The citation for the Vayu Sena Medal reads as follows


 * "On 10th March 1964, Flt Lt Sandhu, while in formation of Gnat aircraft, experienced a flame out of engine followed by a total electrical failure rendering the tail plane inoperative. He was faced with the choice of either abandoning the aircraft and ejecting himself, or carrying out a 'deadstick' forced landing. In spite of the failure of vital services, he chose the latter in order to save a valuable aircraft from destruction. This was the first time that a 'dead-stick' landing was carried out in a Gnat aircraft. Flt Lt Sandhu also made it possible for the technical staff to ascertain the defect leading to the flame-out of the engine which, if undetected might have caused serious accidents in the future.Flt Lt Amarjit Singh Sandhu displayed courage, high professional skill, and devotion to duty whicha re in the best traditions of the Indian Air Force"

Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Amar Jit Singh Sandhu took active part in 1965 Indo-Pakistan war from September 1-22, 1965. He was posted with 9 squadron but was attached to 23 squadron during the war.

He was part of the four aircraft formation sent out to ambush PAF (Pakistan Air Force) aircraft on 3 Sep 65 where the first IAF kill was secured and took part in several aerial skirmishes during the war.

Sandhu was flying the Folland Gnat at that time which was one of the latest aircraft of the Indian Air Force. Despite this the Gnat was not armed with missiles and only had two very powerful 30mm ADEN cannon. On the Other hand the Pakistan Air Force had F-86 Sabers and a squadron of F104 Starfighters. Both these PAF aircraft were armed with missiles. The Gnat guns also had a tendency to Jam which was a reason for several missed opportunities for Indian Air Force Pilot’s.

On 4 Sep 65 alone, Sqn Ldr J Greene, Sandhu, and Flt Lt Manna Murdeshwar were behind 3 Sabres and could have shot down these aircrafts but all had jammed guns. Thus they could not get a confirmed kills on a F-86 Saber jet.

On 18th September 1965, in a encounter against enemy aircraft, Sandhu was able to outmanoeuvre and shot down a Sabre jet of the Pakistan Air Force. He was awarded a Vir Chakra for this action.

Veer Chakra
The citation for the Vir Chakra reads as follows


 * "Squadron Leader Amarjit Singh Sandhu was the Flight Commander of an Operational Squadron, which was assigned the task of establishing our air superiority over the Pathankot region during the recent operations against Pakistan. He flew repeated missions in the Chhamb sector and over the Pasrur and Lahore areas, all the time seeking out enemy aircraft and engaging them. On the 18th September 1965, in a thrilling encounter against enemy aircraft, he was able to outmanoeuvre the enemy with admirable skill, courage and judgment and shot down a Sabre jet.


 * The courage and devotion to duty displayed by Squadron Leader Amarjit Singh Sandhu were in the best traditions of the Indian Air Force."

Command of a Fighter Squadron
Amar Jit Singh Sandhu was promoted to Wing Commander and he took over commanding Officer of No 23 Squadron on  30 Nov 1970.

Death
Wing commander Amar Jit Singh Sandhu was killed in an air crash on 24 September 1971, after he took off from Pathankot airbase where the unit which he was commanding was based. He was flying in a Gnat aircraft at Night when his aircraft crashed. He was 38 at that time.

Legacy
Sandhu has an entire chapter dedicated to him in Wing Commander Dhiredra S Jafa’s book - Death Wasn't Painful: Stories of Indian Fighter Pilots from the 1971 War. He is referred to by his nicknames as “Kala Sandhu” in this book.

Several articles have also been written about him and he is mention in several other articles about the IAF.

In official history of the Indian Air Force of the Indo Pakistan war of 1965, his name( as Sqn Ldr AJS Sandhu) is mentioned as being the third pilot from No 23 Squadron having shot down a Saber.