Archive · 15 Aug 2026
Squadron Leader Sudhir Kumar wins Shaurya Chakra for saving Su-30MKI
A brave pilot flew a big fighter jet at night.
Suddenly, many important airplane parts stopped working.
The jet started shaking and turning wildly in the dark sky.
The pilot, Squadron Leader Sudhir Kumar, felt very strong forces pushing his body.
It was hard for him to see or even stay awake.
He calmly told the pilot-in-training in the front seat which switches to reset.
He also gave the engines more power to stop the jet from slowing down too much.
His quick thinking stopped the jet from crashing.
He has flown for more than 1,300 hours, so he knew just what to do.
Because he was so brave and clever, the government gave him a special medal called the Shaurya Chakra.
Squadron Leader Sudhir Kumar was awarded the Shaurya Chakra for saving his Su-30MKI fighter from a potentially catastrophic crash.
The incident occurred on 9 September 2025 during a low-level navigation sortie at night, with Kumar flying from the rear cockpit accompanied by an under-training pilot.
The aircraft suffered a multiple-system failure at 2.2 km altitude and 740 kmph, with pitch variations from +45 to -15 degrees and g-loads from -1.5 g to +12 g.
He guided the front pilot to reset the failed Fly By Wire channels and re-opened engine power, preventing a crash caused by rapid loss of airspeed.
His citation praised his extraordinary airmanship, composure and leadership while he struggled to stay conscious under extreme physical forces.
- Who
- Squadron Leader Sudhir Kumar, a Su-30MKI pilot with more than 1,300 hours of flying experience, flying with an under-training pilot in the front cockpit.
- What
- Kumar safely recovered a Su-30MKI fighter from a potential catastrophic crash after a multiple-system Fly By Wire failure and was awarded the Shaurya Chakra for his gallantry.
- When
- On 9 September 2025, during a night-time low-level navigation sortie; the award announcement followed the incident.
- Where
- The award was reported from New Delhi; the location of the flight itself was not specified in the article.
- Why
- For exceptional gallantry and airmanship in preventing a cataclysmic accident after a violent in-flight system failure at night.
- Award
- Shaurya Chakra
- Recipient
- Squadron Leader Sudhir Kumar
- Aircraft
- Su-30MKI
- Incident date
- 9 September 2025
- Altitude at failure
- 2.2 km
- Speed at failure
- 740 kmph
- Pilot experience
- Over 1,300 flying hours
- Failure type
- Multiple indicators of Fly By Wire system failure