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Meet Vir Chakra Awardee Cap Hanfee Who Flew His MI-17 Continuously For 3 Days And Helped India Win 1987 Siachen Standoff

Captain Hanfee

Soldiers fight to defend their countries and the medals they are awarded are a way of thanking and appreciating them for their efforts. But wielding a gun and killing the enemy isn’t the only way to display one’s gallantry. 
Sometimes a soldier’s capability transcends weaponry and he becomes a beacon of hope that fills his fellow soldiers with the courage to audaciously snatch victory from the hands of the enemy.

One such soldier is Captain (retd) Abdul Nasir Hanfee, a Vir Chakra awardee who displayed exemplary courage, patience, persistence and presence of mind - the hallmark of any Indian Air Force (IAF) Officer - when the Indian Army had its back against the wall while fighting the Pakistanis on the frozen battlefield of Siachen Glacier in September 1987. 
Captain Hanfee
INDIATIMES
The year 1987 had seen action in Siachen Glacier multiple times. One of the most memorable historic events was when Subedar Bana Singh captured the famous ‘Qaid Post’ by climbing 1500 ft with the help of a rope during Óperation Rajiv in June 1987. Bana Singh later was awarded Param Vir Chakra (PVC) for this colossal feat.
Tension escalated in September 1987 when Pakistan launched ‘Operation Qaidat’ to retake the lost Qaid Post. In response, India launched ‘Operation Vajrashakti’ to counter the attack and that’s where Captain Hanfee played a crucial role in saving the day. 
For three days, (September 23, 24 and 25) he made relentless sorties one after another from Siachen Glacier to the military airfield in Thoise, the nearest Indian Airbase To Siachen. He not only supplied ammunition, weapon and food for the soldiers, but who also averted a continuous attack from across the border and helped evacuate and rescue soldiers injured during the ordeal.

How did it begin?

Narendra Kumar
WIKIPEDIA
“I got a message from my superior in the morning that I had to rush to Siachen immediately. I left at first light in the morning with my Russian MI17 and reached Thoise, the nearest airfield to Siachen from where I had to make sorties. The other two helicopters which were supposed to accompany me couldn’t reach as bad weather had enveloped the area by then. I and my machine were all alone to help out the stranded soldiers,” recalls Captain Hanfee who now serves with Pawan Hans, a Mini Ratna PSU.

And thus he started

Captain Hanfee

Source: IndiaTimes

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