1971 War Hero IAF Gp Capt Parulkar, Who Led Daring PoW Escape From Pakistan, Dies At 82

The nation is mourning the loss of one of its most celebrated warriors, Group Captain Dilip Kamalakar Parulkar (Retd), a decorated 1971 war hero and a symbol of the Indian Air Force’s valour, who passed away on Sunday, August 10. His name is etched in history for leading a remarkable and dangerous escape attempt from a Pakistani prisoner-of-war camp, a mission that became one of the most daring episodes of the 1971 India-Pakistan war.

Remembering the hero for his might, the Indian Air Force (IAF) expressed its condolences and said that his daring escape during the 1971 war embodied “unmatched courage" in the force. “Gp Capt DK Parulkar (Retd) VM, VSM – 1971 War hero, who led a daring escape from captivity in Pakistan, embodying unmatched courage, ingenuity & pride in the IAF — has left for his heavenly abode. All Air Warriors of the IAF express their heartfelt condolences," the Indian Air Force posted on their social media handle on X (formerly Twitter).

Parulkar’s capture came during the Indo-Pak war of 1971, when he was taken as a prisoner after a fierce aerial battle. Held in Rawalpindi’s POW camp under constant watch, he met two other IAF officers, MS Grewal and Harish Singhji. The trio, unwilling to languish in captivity, devised a perilous plan to dig their way to freedom.