IAF@90: Vintage Dakota, which helped save Srinagar and liberate Bangladesh, takes flight once again

Dakota is not just the name of an aircraft. It is a shining symbol of India's pride and resistance. The vintage Dakota DC3 VP905, which weathered many storms and won fierce wars for India, displayed its prowess on Saturday's 90th Indian Air Force Day celebrations in Chandigarh.

Gifted to the Indian Air Force by Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar on behalf of his father, Retired Air Commodore MK Chandrasekhar, a renowned veteran of the Dakota fleet, in May 2018, the DC3 touched the sky with glory for decades.

Also watch: Defence Diaries: The Most Telling Story Of Dakota DC3 'Parashurama'

The Dakota was the first major transport aircraft inducted in the fledgling Indian Air Force. The Dakota played a crucial role in the 1947-48 Indo-Pak conflict just after India gained independence. When the Maharaja of Kashmir signed the Instrument of Accession on October 26, 1947, an urgent need arose to induct armed forces into Srinagar to save the city and airport from being overrun by tribal militants backed by Pakistan. The first three Dakotas carrying soldiers of 1st Sikh Regiment landed at Srinagar on October 27, 1947. In the weeks ahead, an entire infantry brigade was airlifted to Srinagar.

The significance of the Dakota also lies in the fact that it had played a key role in Bangladesh's war of liberation during the 1971 Indo-Pak war and the formation of Bangladesh Air Force. These aircraft were used as transporters to airdrop soldiers in Bangladesh's Tangail during the war.

Also read: From the IAF vault: The story of the daring 12 Squadron

To commemorate the outstanding contribution made by this aircraft to the nation, a nearly 80-year-old Dakota was obtained from scrap in 2011, refurbished in the United Kingdom, and rechristened 'Parashurama', the mythical warrior sage. 

The project was Chandrasekhar's homage to the Indian Air Force and a tribute to his father, Retired Air Commodore MK Chandrasekhar. Parashurama has the same tail number, 905, as the first Dakota that landed in Srinagar in 1947.

This vintage aircraft, an icon of determination for the country's coming generations, roared during the Saturday 90th Indian Air Force Day celebrations. Here's a look at Parashurama's spectacular flight at the Sukhna Lake Complex.

Also read: Indian Air Force Day 2022: IAF chief unveils new digital camouflage uniforms; know its features