Warning: Table './twdiin_rmd20/watchdog' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: INSERT INTO watchdog (uid, type, message, variables, severity, link, location, referer, hostname, timestamp) VALUES (0, 'php', '%message in %file on line %line.', 'a:4:{s:6:\"%error\";s:7:\"warning\";s:8:\"%message\";s:138:\"Missing argument 2 for variable_get(), called in /home/twdiin/public_html/sites/all/themes/twdi/node-awards.tpl.php on line 13 and defined\";s:5:\"%file\";s:47:\"/home/twdiin/public_html/includes/bootstrap.inc\";s:5:\"%line\";i:584;}', 3, '', 'https://twdi.in/node/4523', '', '18.97.9.169', 1742646804) in /home/twdiin/public_html/includes/database.mysqli.inc on line 135

Warning: Table './twdiin_rmd20/watchdog' is marked as crashed and should be repaired query: INSERT INTO watchdog (uid, type, message, variables, severity, link, location, referer, hostname, timestamp) VALUES (0, 'php', '%message in %file on line %line.', 'a:4:{s:6:\"%error\";s:12:\"user warning\";s:8:\"%message\";s:268:\"Unknown column 'content_type_awardees.field_a_images_fid' in 'on clause'\nquery: select files.filepath from content_type_awardees inner join files on content_type_awardees.field_a_images_fid=files.fid where content_type_awardees.nid='3204'\";s:5:\"%file\";s:66:\"/home/twdiin/public_html/sites/all/themes/twdi/node-awards.tpl.php\";s:5:\"%line\";i:37;}', 3, '', 'https://twdi.in/node/4523', '', '18.97.9.169', 1742646804) in /home/twdiin/public_html/includes/database.mysqli.inc on line 135

Gazette Notification: 92 Pres/72, 29-7-72
Operation: 1971 Cactus Lily
Date of Award: 06 Dec 1971

Citation:

During the operations against Pakistan in December 1971, Flight Lieutenant Hemant Sharat Kumar Sardesai was serving with a fighter squadron in the Eastern Sector. From 3 to 16 December, he flew 11 sorties of an offensive nature. In one of the missions, he was responsible for locating and later directing an attack on camouflaged enemy headquarters bunkers between Rajinderganj and Mahenderganj, which resulted in the capture of the enemy headquarters and about 160 enemy personnel. On 6 December, he was in first bomb strike mission of the squadron over Tezgaon airfield rendering it inoperative. On the night of 12 December, he attacked a ghost airfield at Narsingdi and followed the attack by day bombing and rendered the airfield unusable. He was in the formation that struck a vital military target in Dacca on 14 December. He was also in the first formation that struck enemy troop concentrations in Dacca, which accelerated the surrender of the Pakistani forces in Bangladesh.

Throughout the operations, Flight Lieutenant Sardesai displayed gallantry, professional skill and devotion to duty of a high order.

Click here for Awardee's details