Service No : 33895 F(P)

Date of Birth : November 7, 1990

Place of birth : Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Last Rank : Flight Lieutenant

Arm/Regt : Indian Air Force

Martyrdom : June 3, 2019

Flt Lt Sunit Mohanty

Flight Lieutenant Sunit Mohanty hailed from Baliapalli village under Kabisuryanagar block in Ganjam district of Odisha. He was born on 7th November 1990 at a military hospital in Chennai, into a family with a proud connection to the Indian Air Force. He was the son of Group Captain Surendranath Mohanty, a distinguished officer in the Indian Air Force who served as a transport pilot and had extensive experience flying various transport aircraft of the IAF. Growing up in a military environment, Flt Lt Sunit was deeply influenced by the discipline, patriotism, and service-oriented life of the armed forces. His father’s career as an accomplished transport pilot became a major source of inspiration for him from an early age. Watching his father serve the nation with dedication and professionalism ignited in him a strong admiration for aviation and the Indian Air Force. Over time, this admiration transformed into a deep passion for flying and a clear aspiration to one day wear the uniform and serve the country as a pilot, just like his father. Due to his father’s postings to different Air Force and military stations across India, Flt Lt Sunit spent much of his childhood moving between various cities. This dynamic upbringing exposed him to different cultures, environments, and experiences, helping him develop adaptability, resilience, and maturity at an early age. He pursued his schooling in several cities, including Agra, Chandigarh, Coimbatore, Kota, and Delhi, where he consistently adapted to new surroundings while continuing his academic growth.

 

An intelligent and determined student, Flt Lt Sunit later pursued higher education in engineering and successfully earned his Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degree from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Jamshedpur, one of India’s premier technical institutions. His academic background reflected his disciplined and focused personality, along with his ability to excel in challenging environments. After completing his engineering degree, Flt Lt Sunit received opportunities to pursue a civilian professional career. However, his dream of joining the Indian Air Force had remained unwavering since childhood. Driven by patriotism and inspired by his father’s legacy, he made the bold decision to decline a job offer after graduation in order to pursue his true ambition of serving the nation in uniform. Determined to fulfill this dream, he prepared for and successfully cleared the Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination, a highly competitive gateway for entry into the Indian Armed Forces. His selection into the Indian Air Force marked the realization of a long-cherished goal. On 21st June 2014, Flt Lt Sunit Mohanty was commissioned into the Flying Branch of the Indian Air Force as a pilot. He underwent professional flying training as part of the 193 Pilots’ Course, where he displayed dedication, technical competence, and strong flying aptitude. Following his training, he specialized as a Transport Pilot, a role that required exceptional skill, discipline, and operational precision. Over time, he gained proficiency in flying various transport aircraft used by the Indian Air Force and steadily established himself as a capable and dependable aviator. His professionalism, calm temperament, and commitment to excellence earned him recognition and respect among his seniors and fellow officers.

 

In recognition of his dedicated service and growing expertise, he was promoted to the rank of Flight Lieutenant on 21st June 2016. By then, he had developed into a skilled transport pilot, carrying forward his father’s proud aviation legacy while carving his own distinguished path in service to the nation. Flight Lieutenant Sunit Mohanty’s journey—from a young boy inspired by military life to becoming a respected officer and pilot in the Indian Air Force—reflected perseverance, discipline, courage, and unwavering commitment to his dream of serving India.

 

AN-32 Crash (Indo-China Border): 3rd Jun 2019

 

In June 2019, Flight Lieutenant Sunit Mohanty was serving with 43 Squadron of the Indian Air Force, based at Air Force Station Jorhat in Assam. The squadron operated the AN-32, a twin-engine turboprop transport aircraft widely used by the Indian Air Force for tactical transport, logistics, and operational support missions. Owing to the strategic importance of the northeastern region, the squadron regularly undertook critical air operations, including logistic support for Army troops deployed in far-flung, remote, and inaccessible border areas. As a trained and capable Transport Pilot, Flight Lieutenant Sunit Mohanty was part of this demanding operational environment, where flying missions often involved navigating difficult terrain, unpredictable weather, and high-risk conditions. His professionalism, flying expertise, and dedication made him an important member of the squadron’s operational team. On 3rd June 2019, Flight Lieutenant Sunit Mohanty was assigned to an important air support mission aboard an AN-32 transport aircraft, along with seven other crew members. The team included Wing Commander Ganta Mahendra Charles, Squadron Leader H. Vinod, Flight Lieutenant Mohit Garg, Flight Lieutenant Ashish Tanwar, Flight Lieutenant Rajesh Thapa, Warrant Officer K.K. Mishra, and Sergeant Anoop Kumar S. In addition to the crew, the aircraft was carrying five passengers.

 

As per the operational task assigned, the aircraft was scheduled to take off from Jorhat Air Force Station and fly to Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh. Mechuka is a strategically important location near the Indo-China border, known for its difficult terrain, deep valleys, thick forests, rapidly changing weather, and towering mountain ranges. Flying in such an area required exceptional precision, experience, and a high level of professional flying skill. Flight Lieutenant Sunit Mohanty possessed the technical competence, operational training, and flying expertise needed for such challenging missions. As planned, the aircraft took off from Jorhat at approximately 12:27 PM with eight crew members and five passengers on board. However, tragedy struck when the aircraft lost contact with ground control at around 1:00 PM, nearly 33 minutes after takeoff, while flying through the mountainous region of Arunachal Pradesh. Following the loss of communication, a large-scale search and rescue operation was immediately launched. The mission to locate the aircraft proved extremely difficult due to dense forests, poor visibility, rugged hills, and harsh weather conditions. The Indian Air Force deployed a substantial fleet of aircraft and helicopters for the rescue effort, including Sukhoi-30 fighter jets, C-130J transport aircraft, AN-32 aircraft, Mi-17 helicopters, and Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH). The operation was further supported by personnel from the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and state police forces, all working together in difficult terrain to trace the missing aircraft. After an intense search effort, the wreckage of the AN-32 aircraft was located eight days after the crash near the Pari Hills, close to Gatte village, approximately 16 kilometers north of Lipo in Arunachal Pradesh, at an elevation of nearly 12,000 feet. Sadly, the crash was devastating, and Flight Lieutenant Sunit Mohanty, along with all other crew members and passengers, could not survive. He laid down his life while performing his duty in service of the nation. Flight Lieutenant Sunit Mohanty was an accomplished transport pilot, a disciplined officer, and a committed air warrior who served the Indian Air Force with dedication, courage, and professionalism. His supreme sacrifice in the line of duty remains a lasting tribute to his patriotism, devotion to service, and unwavering commitment to the nation.

 

Flt Lt Sunit Mohanty is survived by his father Gp Capt Surendranath Mohanty (Retd) and mother. 

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