Indian Air Force officer, Squadron Leader Minty Agarwal has been conferred the Yudh Seva medal for her efforts, as a flight controller during the aerial combat between India and Pakistan on February 27 following Operation Bandar. The IAF had launched the clandestine air force mission dubbed Operation Bandar, on 26 February 2019 is response to the Pulwama terror attack which claimed the lives of over 44 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Personnel.
The IAF launched airstrikes led to to a series of military escalation, prompting the Pakistani Air Force to cross over to Indian territory to strike Indian military installments. Anticipating a possible Pakistani misadventure, the IAF was on high alert and countered the Pakistani aerial intrusion.
It was during this incident that Squadron Leader Minty Agarwal’s responded to the air based thereat by directing the Indian fighter pilots in a tactically superior manner. Her alertness and presence of mind in the face of an imminent threat deterred the enemies incursion effort, giving the Indian fighter pilots the assistance required to engage the enemy in aerial combat.
Squadron Leader Agarwal, a fighter controller from the Administrative branch, is one of 13 Air force personnel to be awarded this year on the countries 73rd independence day.
