Group Captain Ravi Nanda carried out a daring rescue operation from a small airstrip in Wadi Sayidna near Khartoum in Sudan on the night of April 27-28, said officials.
Talking to ANI, defence officials said, “Group Captain Ravi Nanda is the captain of the Indian Air Force C-130J Special Operations aircraft which carried out the daring operation to rescue 121 Indian nationals from a small airstrip in Wadi Sayidna near Khartoum, Sudan during the ongoing conflict there.”
Nanda was also part of the rescue operations in Kabul where he and his team rescued Indian officials and citizens from Kabul airport when the Taliban was taking over that country.
“He was awarded a Vayu Sena Medal for gallantry for rescuing Indians from Afghanistan in August 2021 as part of Operation Devi Shakti,” the officials added.
The IAF special operation aircraft fly with a team of Garud Special Forces on all such missions.
During the daring rescue mission, 121 Indians were rescued and taken to Jeddah for being flown back to India as part of Operation Kaveri.
Sudan is experiencing bloodshed as a result of clashes between the army and paramilitary forces. Even though there is a 72-hour ceasefire, there have been allegations of violence.
Fighting has erupted between soldiers loyal to Sudanese army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, paramilitary Rapid Support Soldiers commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.
Committed to ensuring that no Indian national is left behind in Sudan, India has deployed its military planes and warships in the war-torn country.
