Flt Lt P S Murali

Flt Lt Paranji Srirama Murali hailed from Chilngliput in Tamil Nadu. He joined the IAF after completing his degree in medicine. He was commissioned into the IAF on 22 Jan 1967 as a medical officer.  After joining the IAF he worked at  various Air Force Bases in units providing medical services. 

Indo - Pak war (Air Operation) : 17 Dec 1971

During 1971, Flt Lt PS Murali was serving with 5 Air Force Hospital based at Jorhat. The Air Force base at Jorhat also had 43 Sqn operating from it. 43 Squadron of the Indian Air Force was formed at AF Station Jorhat in Eastern Sector on 20 Jan 1958 and was equipped with C-47 Dakota aircraft. As the war broke out on 03 Dec 1971 with Pakistan, the Squadron operated from various Air Bases and undertook numerous air missions. Though the 1971 war got over on 16 Dec when the Pakistani forces surrender an mass, border skirmishes in some pockets and air support operations were continuing. Flt Lt PS Murali who was on attachment to 43 Sqn was tasked to be part of one such air operation on 17 Dec 1971. The assigned task was an air support mission on Mohanbari- Moriganj axis in the eastern sector.

Flt Lt PS Murali boarded the Dakota aircraft (BJ-622) as planned on 17 Dec 1971. The air crew-members included Flt Lt Joaquim D’Souza as captain, Fg Offr S Nandi as co-pilot, Plt Offr R B Umralikar as Navigator and Flt Sgt H Thakur as Flight Engineer. The air-crew carried out their pre-flight checks and took off in their Dakota aircraft as planned on 17 Dec 1971. The flight was uneventful in the beginning but later developed some technical snag which made the aircraft uncontrollable. Despite the best efforts of the air crew members, the aircraft crashed over Machuka area. Flt Lt PS Murali and all air crew members including Flt Lt Joaquim D’Souza, Flt Lt S Nandi, Plt Offr R B Umralikar, and Flt Sgt H Thakur could not survive the crash and lost their lives. Flt Lt PS Murali was a committed air warrior and competent medical officer, who laid down his life in the line of his duty.

Flt Lt PS Murali is survived by his wife Smt PS Soundarmmal.