Meet Kargil War Hero K. Nachiketa Rao: A Tale Of Bravery And Resilience

Group Captain informed that enemy soldiers had shoved the barrel of AK-47 into his mouth and he was staring at the soldier's finger on the trigger, wondering if he would pull it.

New Delhi: Indians are celebrating the 25th  anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas on Friday, June 26. The day is marked by numerous events across the country, honouring the courageous warriors who played pivotal roles during the Kargil War. Highlighting these heroic tales, introducing the remarkable story of Group Captain K. Nachiketa Rao of the Indian Air Force, whose bravery in difficult circumstances amazed the Pakistani forces. Captain K. Nachiketa was a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force during the Kargil War. When his MiG-27 aircraft suffered an engine failure, he was forced to eject. Subsequently, he was captured by Pakistani Army soldiers.

Captain K. Nachiketa shared his Kargil War experiences multiple times, in an interview with one of the channel, he expressed that the image of the enemy soldier's eyes and face remains vivid in his mind, He added that enemy soldiers had shoved the barrel of AK-47 into his mouth and he was staring at the soldier's finger on the trigger, wondering if he would pull it.

The Group Captain also stated that he maintained his confidence in the enemy after his jet crashed. He further added that he had flown from Srinagar with three other pilots. Their target was a location in Manthu Dhalo, where the enemy had a significant logistics hub. They flew in a formation of four planes and upon reaching their target, fired rockets. After the rocket attack, the engine of his MiG-27 aircraft failed. 

Group Captain Rao further added after ejecting from his aircraft, he landed amidst heavy snow.  His back was aching due to the ejection and the cold was seeping into his shoes. The whole body was feeling cold. There was only a small pistol and a total of 16 rounds of bullets nearby. At the time he had only a small pistol and 16 rounds of ammunition with him.