Karun Krishna Majumdar - Revision history

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← Older revision		Revision as of 15:30, 19 December 2022
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	{{Short description\|Royal Indian Air Force officer}}		{{Short description\|Royal Indian Air Force officer}}
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=May ~~2022~~}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=May 2018}}
	{{Use Indian English\|date=May ~~2022~~}}		{{Use Indian English\|date=May 2018}}
	{{Infobox military person		{{Infobox military person
	\|honorific_prefix = [[Wing commander (rank)\|Wing Commander]]		\|honorific_prefix = [[Wing commander (rank)\|Wing Commander]]
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	== Career ==		== Career ==
	Majumdar joined [[No. 1 Squadron IAF\|No. 1 Squadron]] of the Indian Air Force in the 1930s as Flying Officer.<ref name="pilarisetti">{{cite web\|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Personnel/Legends/313-Jumbo-Majumdar.html\|title=Wing Commander Karun Krishna Majumdar\|last=Pilarisetti\|first=Jagan\|date=15 June 2009\|publisher=Bharat Rakshak\|access-date=25 July ~~2022~~}}</ref> Majumdar first flew [[Westland Wapiti]] and then [[Hawker Hart]]. Soon he was promoted to Flight Commander of the 'C' Flight of No. 1 Squadron. In June 1941, Majumdar was promoted to Squadron Leader and he took charge of No. 1 Squadron in [[Miramshah]]. In August 1941, the No. 1 Squadron was upgraded with [[Westland Lysander]] aircraft and training commenced in Drigh Road.		Majumdar joined [[No. 1 Squadron IAF\|No. 1 Squadron]] of the Indian Air Force in the 1930s as Flying Officer.<ref name="pilarisetti">{{cite web\|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Personnel/Legends/313-Jumbo-Majumdar.html\|title=Wing Commander Karun Krishna Majumdar\|last=Pilarisetti\|first=Jagan\|date=15 June 2009\|publisher=Bharat Rakshak\|access-date=25 July 2015}}</ref> Majumdar first flew [[Westland Wapiti]] and then [[Hawker Hart]]. Soon he was promoted to Flight Commander of the 'C' Flight of No. 1 Squadron. In June 1941, Majumdar was promoted to Squadron Leader and he took charge of No. 1 Squadron in [[Miramshah]]. In August 1941, the No. 1 Squadron was upgraded with [[Westland Lysander]] aircraft and training commenced in Drigh Road.

	===World War II===		===World War II===

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← Older revision		Revision as of 15:30, 19 December 2022
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	{{Use dmy dates\|date=May ~~2018~~}}		{{Short description\|Royal Indian Air Force officer}}
	{{Use Indian English\|date=May ~~2018~~}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=May 2022}}
			{{Use Indian English\|date=May 2022}}
	{{Infobox military person		{{Infobox military person
	\|honorific_prefix = [[Wing commander (rank)\|Wing Commander]]		\|honorific_prefix = [[Wing commander (rank)\|Wing Commander]]
	\| name = K K Majumdar		\| name = K K Majumdar
	\|honorific_suffix = [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)\|DFC]] [[Medal bar\|& bar]]		\|honorific_suffix = [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)\|DFC]] [[Medal bar\|& bar]] <br>করুণ কৃষ্ণ মজুমদার<br />
	\| nickname = Jumbo		\| nickname = Jumbo
	\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1913\|9\|6\|df=yes}}		\| birth_date = {{Birth date\|1913\|9\|6\|df=yes}}
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	}}		}}

	[[Wing commander (rank)\|Wing commander]] '''Karun Krishna 'Jumbo' Majumdar''', [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)\|DFC]] [[Medal bar\|& bar]] (~~{{lang-bn~~\|~~করুণকৃষ্ণ~~ মজুমদার}}) (6 September 1913 – 17 February 1945) was an officer in the [[Indian Air Force]]. He was the first Indian to reach the rank of Wing Commander.		[[Wing commander (rank)\|Wing commander]] '''Karun Krishna 'Jumbo' Majumdar''', [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)\|DFC]] [[Medal bar\|& bar]] ([[Bengali Language\|Bengali]]: করুণ কৃষ্ণ মজুমদার) (6 September 1913 – 17 February 1945) was an officer in the [[Indian Air Force]]. He was the first Indian to reach the rank of Wing Commander.

	== Early life ==		== Early life ==
	Majumdar was born in [[Kolkata]] on 6 September 1913.<ref name="tt23112014">{{cite news\|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1141123/jsp/7days/19076360.jsp\|title=Bengal's top gun makes London bow\|last=Roy\|first=Amit\|date=23 November 2014\|work=The Telegraph\|~~accessdate~~=25 July 2015\|location=Kolkata \|~~archiveurl~~=https://web.archive.org/web/20141212072020/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1141123/jsp/7days/19076360.jsp \|~~archivedate~~=12 December 2014 \|url-status=dead}}</ref> His maternal grandfather was [[Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee]], the first president of the [[Indian National Congress]].<ref name="tt23112014"/> Because he was over six feet tall and well-built, he acquired the nickname Jumbo. He attended [[St. Paul's School, Darjeeling]]. In 1932, he travelled to England and took admission in [[Royal Air Force College Cranwell]].<ref name="tt23112014"/> In 1933, he returned to India as a trained pilot. His cousins [[Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri]] and Hem Chaudhuri also joined the [[Indian Armed Forces]]; the former joined the [[Indian Army]] and rose to become the 6th [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)\|Chief of the Army Staff]], while the latter followed Majumdar into the Air Force.		Majumdar was born in [[Kolkata]] on 6 September 1913.<ref name="tt23112014">{{cite news\|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1141123/jsp/7days/19076360.jsp\|title=Bengal's top gun makes London bow\|last=Roy\|first=Amit\|date=23 November 2014\|work=The Telegraph\|access-date=25 July 2015\|location=Kolkata \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141212072020/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1141123/jsp/7days/19076360.jsp \|archive-date=12 December 2014 \|url-status=dead}}</ref> His maternal grandfather was [[Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee]], the first president of the [[Indian National Congress]].<ref name="tt23112014"/> Because he was over six feet tall and well-built, he acquired the nickname Jumbo. He attended [[St. Paul's School, Darjeeling]]. In 1932, he travelled to England and took admission in [[Royal Air Force College Cranwell]]. This was the third batch of Indian pilots at Cranwell and he was one of three Indian pilots in the batch, which included [[Air commodore (India)\|Air Commodore]] [[Narendra (IAF officer)\|Narendra]].<ref name="tt23112014"/>

			In 1933, he returned to India as a trained pilot. He had an elder brother, Jai Krishna Majumdar and both brothers gave entrance exams together with Jai opting for Sandhurst while Karun opted for Cranwell. His brother was commissioned into the 16th Light Cavalry in 1933 and was a pilot as well. He would later be killed in a training flight crash in October 1942.<ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014" /> His cousins [[Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri]] and Hem Chaudhuri also joined the [[Indian Armed Forces]]; the former joined the [[Indian Army]] and rose to become the 6th [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)\|Chief of the Army Staff]], while the latter followed Majumdar into the Air Force.

	== Career ==		== Career ==
	Majumdar joined [[No. 1 Squadron IAF\|No. 1 Squadron]] of the Indian Air Force in the 1930s as Flying Officer.<ref name="pilarisetti">{{cite web\|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Personnel/Legends/313-Jumbo-Majumdar.html\|title=Wing Commander Karun Krishna Majumdar\|last=Pilarisetti\|first=Jagan\|date=15 June 2009\|publisher=Bharat Rakshak\|~~accessdate~~=25 July ~~2015~~}}</ref> Majumdar first flew [[Westland Wapiti]] and then [[Hawker Hart]]. Soon he was promoted to Flight Commander of the 'C' Flight of No. 1 Squadron. In June 1941, Majumdar was promoted to Squadron Leader and he took charge of No. 1 Squadron in [[Miramshah]]. In August 1941, the No. 1 Squadron was upgraded with [[Westland Lysander]] aircraft and training commenced in Drigh Road.		Majumdar joined [[No. 1 Squadron IAF\|No. 1 Squadron]] of the Indian Air Force in the 1930s as Flying Officer.<ref name="pilarisetti">{{cite web\|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Personnel/Legends/313-Jumbo-Majumdar.html\|title=Wing Commander Karun Krishna Majumdar\|last=Pilarisetti\|first=Jagan\|date=15 June 2009\|publisher=Bharat Rakshak\|access-date=25 July 2022}}</ref> Majumdar first flew [[Westland Wapiti]] and then [[Hawker Hart]]. Soon he was promoted to Flight Commander of the 'C' Flight of No. 1 Squadron. In June 1941, Majumdar was promoted to Squadron Leader and he took charge of No. 1 Squadron in [[Miramshah]]. In August 1941, the No. 1 Squadron was upgraded with [[Westland Lysander]] aircraft and training commenced in Drigh Road.

	===World War II===		===World War II===
	[[File:Karun Krishna Majumdar on plane.jpg\|thumb\|left\|Karun Krishna Majumdar before flying]]		[[File:Karun Krishna Majumdar on plane.jpg\|thumb\|left\|Karun Krishna Majumdar before flying]]
	In 1942, the [[Empire of Japan\|Imperial Japanese]] forces occupied Burma. The No. 1 Squadron of the Royal Indian Air Force was posted to Burma, and Majumdar reached [[Taungoo]] with his squadron on 31 January 1942. On the very next day the [[Imperial Japanese Army Air Force]] based in [[Mae Hong Son]] in Thailand bombed [[Taungoo]], inflicting considerable damage. However, No. 1 Squadron, which had taken the wise precaution of dispersing and hiding their Lysanders, remained unharmed.		In 1942, the [[Empire of Japan\|Imperial Japanese]] forces occupied Burma. The No. 1 Squadron of the Royal Indian Air Force was posted to Burma, and Majumdar reached [[Taungoo]] with his squadron on 31 January 1942. On the very next day the [[Imperial Japanese Army Air Force]] based in [[Mae Hong Son]] in Thailand bombed Taungoo, inflicting considerable damage. However, No. 1 Squadron, which had taken the wise precaution of dispersing and hiding their Lysanders, remained unharmed.

	Majumdar immediately planned retaliatory action, even though the [[Westland Lysander]] was an army co-operation aircraft not meant to serve either as a fighter or as a bomber. Slinging two 250 pound bombs on the stub wings of a Lysander, he set off solo on 2 Feb. 1942 towards the Japanese airbase at [[Mae Hong Son]]. The New Zealanders of No. 67 Squadron of [[Royal Air Force]] send two Buffalo aircraft as escort. Majumdar took considerable risk in flying low and dropping bombs accurately on target, destroying the enemy hangar, aircraft and airfield. On the next day, Majumdar led the entire squadron in a bombing mission and destroyed the aircraft, wireless installations and the buildings. Until they were withdrawn from Burma in March–April 1942, No. 1 Squadron played a stellar role supporting the army, for which they were commended by General [[Archibald Wavell]]. On one occasion Majumdar was forced down in the Shan jungles due to engine failure and managed to return to Lashio after a harrowing journey through dense forests. Majumdar was awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)\|Distinguished Flying Cross]], gazetted in the ''London Gazette'' of 10 November 1942.<ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014">Combat Lore by Somnath Sapru, KW Publishers Pvt.Ltd., New Delhi,2014,{{ISBN\|978-93-83649-25-9}}</ref>		Majumdar immediately planned retaliatory action, even though the Westland Lysander was an army co-operation aircraft not meant to serve either as a fighter or as a bomber. Slinging two 250 pound bombs on the stub wings of a Lysander, he set off solo on 2 Feb. 1942 towards the Japanese airbase at Mae Hong Son. The New Zealanders of No. 67 Squadron of [[Royal Air Force]] send two Buffalo aircraft as escort. Majumdar took considerable risk in flying low and dropping bombs accurately on target, destroying the enemy hangar, aircraft and airfield. On the next day, Majumdar led the entire squadron in a bombing mission and destroyed the aircraft, wireless installations and the buildings. Until they were withdrawn from Burma in March–April 1942, No. 1 Squadron played a stellar role supporting the army, for which they were commended by General [[Archibald Wavell]]. On one occasion Majumdar was forced down in the Shan jungles due to engine failure and managed to return to Lashio after a harrowing journey through dense forests. Majumdar was awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)\|Distinguished Flying Cross]], gazetted in the ''London Gazette'' of 10 November 1942.<ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014">Combat Lore by Somnath Sapru, KW Publishers Pvt.Ltd., New Delhi,2014,{{ISBN\|978-93-83649-25-9}}</ref>

	After returning from Burma Majumdar spent the next two years in staff and flying assignments. He was promoted to Wing Commander, the first Indian to reach this rank.<ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014"/>		After returning from Burma Majumdar spent the next two years in staff and flying assignments. He was promoted to Wing Commander, the first Indian to reach this rank.<ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014"/>

	In 1943, Majumdar volunteered for a role in the European War. He arrived in [[England]] in March 1944.<ref name="asianaffairs122014">{{cite news\|url=http://asianaffairs.in/december2014/an-asian-hero.html\|title=An Asian hero\|last=Bhatia\|first=Shyam\|date=December 2014\|work=Asian Affairs\|~~accessdate~~=26 July 2015\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130101621/http://asianaffairs.in/december2014/an-asian-hero.html\|archive-date=30 January 2016\|url-status=dead}}</ref> In order to serve in an operational squadron, he voluntarily relinquished his acting rank of Wing Commander and reverted to Squadron Leader.<ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014"/> After converting to [[North American Mustang]] aircraft at 41 OTU (Operational Training Unit), Majumdar joined [[No. 268 Squadron RAF]], a photo-reconnaissance squadron, at RAF Gatwick in early June 1944. 268 squadron was then commanded by Sqn. Ldr. Albert S. Mann, DFC, Majumdar's old acquaintance from Burma.		In 1943, Majumdar volunteered for a role in the European War. He arrived in England in March 1944.<ref name="asianaffairs122014">{{cite news\|url=http://asianaffairs.in/december2014/an-asian-hero.html\|title=An Asian hero\|last=Bhatia\|first=Shyam\|date=December 2014\|work=Asian Affairs\|access-date=26 July 2015\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130101621/http://asianaffairs.in/december2014/an-asian-hero.html\|archive-date=30 January 2016\|url-status=dead}}</ref> In order to serve in an operational squadron, he voluntarily relinquished his acting rank of Wing Commander and reverted to Squadron Leader.<ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014"/> After converting to [[North American Mustang]] aircraft at 41 OTU (Operational Training Unit), Majumdar joined [[No. 268 Squadron RAF]], a photo-reconnaissance squadron, at RAF Gatwick in early June 1944. 268 squadron was then commanded by Sqn. Ldr. Albert S. Mann, DFC, Majumdar's old acquaintance from Burma.

	In his first operational flight on 10 June 1944, he made a reconnaissance of the Seine River and carried out ground-strafing of enemy targets. His operational tour ended on 20 September. During this period of 100 days Majumdar flew 65 sorties in Mustangs and [[Hawker Typhoon]]s - he preferred the former to the latter, writing in his diary "She is no lady like the Mustang, but is pretty hot stuff." He successfully completed two outstanding low-level photo-recce missions, one of the bridges over the [[Seine]] ("I went through an absolute hail of flak to get photographs of the rail bridge on the Seine at Rouen",he wrote), and another of the Falaise Gap in Normandy. His Falaise photographs were later used by [[Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein\|Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery]] in the [[Battle of the Falaise Pocket]].<ref name="asianaffairs122014"/> On one occasion he got shot up and force-landed in enemy territory, but was luckily rescued. The Bar to his DFC was gazetted on 23 January 1945, the citation specifically mentioning the Seine missions. Thus he became the most highly decorated Indian pilot of World War 2.<ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014"/>		In his first operational flight on 10 June 1944, he made a reconnaissance of the Seine River and carried out ground-strafing of enemy targets. His operational tour ended on 20 September. During this period of 100 days Majumdar flew 65 sorties in Mustangs and [[Hawker Typhoon]]s - he preferred the former to the latter, writing in his diary "She is no lady like the Mustang, but is pretty hot stuff." He successfully completed two outstanding low-level photo-recce missions, one of the bridges over the [[Seine]] ("I went through an absolute hail of flak to get photographs of the rail bridge on the Seine at Rouen",he wrote), and another of the Falaise Gap in Normandy. His Falaise photographs were later used by [[Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein\|Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery]] in the [[Battle of the Falaise Pocket]].<ref name="asianaffairs122014"/> On one occasion he got shot up and force-landed in enemy territory, but was luckily rescued. The Bar to his DFC was gazetted on 23 January 1945, the citation specifically mentioning the Seine missions. Thus he became the most highly decorated Indian pilot of World War 2.<ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014"/>
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	== Death ==		== Death ==
	On the afternoon of 17 February 1945, Majumdar took part in a flying display at Walton, near [[Lahore]] in a [[Hawker Hurricane]].<ref name="~~pilarisetti~~"/><ref name="~~Somnath Sapru 2014~~"/> The aircraft he chose had a ~~past~~ history of snags and malfunction and he was warned by Flying Officer [[Harjinder Singh (IAF Officer)\|Harjinder Singh]]. During a dive in the aerobatic routine, the aircraft developed a snag and it crashed headlong into the ground. Majumdar died instantly. He was 31.<ref name="pilarisetti"/>		On the afternoon of 17 February 1945, Majumdar took part in a flying display at Walton, near [[Lahore]] in a [[Hawker Hurricane]].<ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014"/><ref name="pilarisetti"/> The aircraft he chose had a history of snags and malfunction and he was warned by Flying Officer [[Harjinder Singh (IAF Officer)\|Harjinder Singh]]. During a dive in the aerobatic routine, the aircraft developed a snag and it crashed headlong into the ground. Majumdar died instantly. He was 31.<ref name="pilarisetti"/>

	The following epitaph appears on the marble headstone of his grave at Lahore:		The following epitaph appears on the marble headstone of his grave at Lahore:
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	{{DEFAULTSORT:Majumdar, Karun Krishna}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Majumdar, Karun Krishna}}
	[[Category:1913 births]]		[[Category:1913 births]]
	[[Category:Bengali ~~people~~]]		[[Category:Bengali Hindus]]
	[[Category:St. Paul's School, Darjeeling alumni]]		[[Category:St. Paul's School, Darjeeling alumni]]
	[[Category:Military personnel from Kolkata]]		[[Category:Military personnel from Kolkata]]
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	[[Category:1945 deaths]]		[[Category:1945 deaths]]
	[[Category:Indian Army personnel killed in World War II]]		[[Category:Indian Army personnel killed in World War II]]
			[[Category:Indian recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)]]

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2022-12-11T04:08:27Z

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← Older revision		Revision as of 09:38, 11 December 2022
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	== Death ==		== Death ==
	On the afternoon of 17 February 1945, Majumdar took part in a flying display at Walton, near [[Lahore]] in a [[Hawker Hurricane]].<ref name="~~Somnath Sapru 2014~~"/><ref name="~~pilarisetti~~"/> The aircraft he chose had a past history of snags and malfunction and he was warned by Flying Officer [[Harjinder Singh (IAF Officer)\|Harjinder Singh]]. During a dive in the aerobatic routine, the aircraft developed a snag and it crashed headlong into the ground. Majumdar died instantly. He was 31.<ref name="pilarisetti"/>		On the afternoon of 17 February 1945, Majumdar took part in a flying display at Walton, near [[Lahore]] in a [[Hawker Hurricane]].<ref name="pilarisetti"/><ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014"/> The aircraft he chose had a past history of snags and malfunction and he was warned by Flying Officer [[Harjinder Singh (IAF Officer)\|Harjinder Singh]]. During a dive in the aerobatic routine, the aircraft developed a snag and it crashed headlong into the ground. Majumdar died instantly. He was 31.<ref name="pilarisetti"/>

	The following epitaph appears on the marble headstone of his grave at Lahore:		The following epitaph appears on the marble headstone of his grave at Lahore:

->JJMC89 bot III: Merging :Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar (United Kingdom) to :Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2021 March 16#Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross and two Bars (United Kingdom)

2021-04-10T22:23:46Z

Merging Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar (United Kingdom) to Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2021 March 16#Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross and two Bars (United Kingdom)

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox military person
|honorific_prefix = [[Wing commander (rank)|Wing Commander]]
| name = K K Majumdar
|honorific_suffix = [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|DFC]] [[Medal bar|& bar]]
| nickname = Jumbo
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1913|9|6|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Kolkata]], [[Bengal Presidency|Bengal]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1945|2|17|1913|9|6|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Lyallpur]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], [[British India]]
| image = Karun Krishna Majumdar.jpg
| caption = Karun Krishna Majumdar
| allegiance = {{flagicon|India|British}} [[British Raj|India]]
| serviceyears = 1933 - 1945
| rank = [[File:Wing_Commander_of_IAF.png|20px]] [[Wing commander (rank)|Wing commander]]
| branch =
| commands = [[No. 1 Squadron IAF]]
| unit = [[No. 1 Squadron IAF]]
| battles = [[World War II]]
| awards = [[File:DistinguishedFlyingCrossUKRibbon.jpg|20px]] [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Bar to Distinguished Flying Cross]]<br/>[[File:DistinguishedFlyingCrossUKRibbon.jpg|20px]] [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]]
| laterwork =
}}

[[Wing commander (rank)|Wing commander]] '''Karun Krishna 'Jumbo' Majumdar''', [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|DFC]] [[Medal bar|& bar]] ({{lang-bn|করুণকৃষ্ণ মজুমদার}}) (6 September 1913 – 17 February 1945) was an officer in the [[Indian Air Force]]. He was the first Indian to reach the rank of Wing Commander.

== Early life ==
Majumdar was born in [[Kolkata]] on 6 September 1913.<ref name="tt23112014">{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1141123/jsp/7days/19076360.jsp|title=Bengal's top gun makes London bow|last=Roy|first=Amit|date=23 November 2014|work=The Telegraph|accessdate=25 July 2015|location=Kolkata |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141212072020/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1141123/jsp/7days/19076360.jsp |archivedate=12 December 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> His maternal grandfather was [[Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee]], the first president of the [[Indian National Congress]].<ref name="tt23112014"/> Because he was over six feet tall and well-built, he acquired the nickname Jumbo. He attended [[St. Paul's School, Darjeeling]]. In 1932, he travelled to England and took admission in [[Royal Air Force College Cranwell]].<ref name="tt23112014"/> In 1933, he returned to India as a trained pilot. His cousins [[Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri]] and Hem Chaudhuri also joined the [[Indian Armed Forces]]; the former joined the [[Indian Army]] and rose to become the 6th [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of the Army Staff]], while the latter followed Majumdar into the Air Force.

== Career ==
Majumdar joined [[No. 1 Squadron IAF|No. 1 Squadron]] of the Indian Air Force in the 1930s as Flying Officer.<ref name="pilarisetti">{{cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Personnel/Legends/313-Jumbo-Majumdar.html|title=Wing Commander Karun Krishna Majumdar|last=Pilarisetti|first=Jagan|date=15 June 2009|publisher=Bharat Rakshak|accessdate=25 July 2015}}</ref> Majumdar first flew [[Westland Wapiti]] and then [[Hawker Hart]]. Soon he was promoted to Flight Commander of the 'C' Flight of No. 1 Squadron. In June 1941, Majumdar was promoted to Squadron Leader and he took charge of No. 1 Squadron in [[Miramshah]]. In August 1941, the No. 1 Squadron was upgraded with [[Westland Lysander]] aircraft and training commenced in Drigh Road.

===World War II===
[[File:Karun Krishna Majumdar on plane.jpg|thumb|left|Karun Krishna Majumdar before flying]]
In 1942, the [[Empire of Japan|Imperial Japanese]] forces occupied Burma. The No. 1 Squadron of the Royal Indian Air Force was posted to Burma, and Majumdar reached [[Taungoo]] with his squadron on 31 January 1942. On the very next day the [[Imperial Japanese Army Air Force]] based in [[Mae Hong Son]] in Thailand bombed [[Taungoo]], inflicting considerable damage. However, No. 1 Squadron, which had taken the wise precaution of dispersing and hiding their Lysanders, remained unharmed.

Majumdar immediately planned retaliatory action, even though the [[Westland Lysander]] was an army co-operation aircraft not meant to serve either as a fighter or as a bomber. Slinging two 250 pound bombs on the stub wings of a Lysander, he set off solo on 2 Feb. 1942 towards the Japanese airbase at [[Mae Hong Son]]. The New Zealanders of No. 67 Squadron of [[Royal Air Force]] send two Buffalo aircraft as escort. Majumdar took considerable risk in flying low and dropping bombs accurately on target, destroying the enemy hangar, aircraft and airfield. On the next day, Majumdar led the entire squadron in a bombing mission and destroyed the aircraft, wireless installations and the buildings. Until they were withdrawn from Burma in March–April 1942, No. 1 Squadron played a stellar role supporting the army, for which they were commended by General [[Archibald Wavell]]. On one occasion Majumdar was forced down in the Shan jungles due to engine failure and managed to return to Lashio after a harrowing journey through dense forests. Majumdar was awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]], gazetted in the ''London Gazette'' of 10 November 1942.<ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014">Combat Lore by Somnath Sapru, KW Publishers Pvt.Ltd., New Delhi,2014,{{ISBN|978-93-83649-25-9}}</ref>

After returning from Burma Majumdar spent the next two years in staff and flying assignments. He was promoted to Wing Commander, the first Indian to reach this rank.<ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014"/>

In 1943, Majumdar volunteered for a role in the European War. He arrived in [[England]] in March 1944.<ref name="asianaffairs122014">{{cite news|url=http://asianaffairs.in/december2014/an-asian-hero.html|title=An Asian hero|last=Bhatia|first=Shyam|date=December 2014|work=Asian Affairs|accessdate=26 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130101621/http://asianaffairs.in/december2014/an-asian-hero.html|archive-date=30 January 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> In order to serve in an operational squadron, he voluntarily relinquished his acting rank of Wing Commander and reverted to Squadron Leader.<ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014"/> After converting to [[North American Mustang]] aircraft at 41 OTU (Operational Training Unit), Majumdar joined [[No. 268 Squadron RAF]], a photo-reconnaissance squadron, at RAF Gatwick in early June 1944. 268 squadron was then commanded by Sqn. Ldr. Albert S. Mann, DFC, Majumdar's old acquaintance from Burma.

In his first operational flight on 10 June 1944, he made a reconnaissance of the Seine River and carried out ground-strafing of enemy targets. His operational tour ended on 20 September. During this period of 100 days Majumdar flew 65 sorties in Mustangs and [[Hawker Typhoon]]s - he preferred the former to the latter, writing in his diary "She is no lady like the Mustang, but is pretty hot stuff." He successfully completed two outstanding low-level photo-recce missions, one of the bridges over the [[Seine]] ("I went through an absolute hail of flak to get photographs of the rail bridge on the Seine at Rouen",he wrote), and another of the Falaise Gap in Normandy. His Falaise photographs were later used by [[Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein|Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery]] in the [[Battle of the Falaise Pocket]].<ref name="asianaffairs122014"/> On one occasion he got shot up and force-landed in enemy territory, but was luckily rescued. The Bar to his DFC was gazetted on 23 January 1945, the citation specifically mentioning the Seine missions. Thus he became the most highly decorated Indian pilot of World War 2.<ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014"/>

Because of his superb piloting skills and indomitable spirit, ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' magazine featured him in its issue of 15 May 1944 among twelve of the world's most outstanding airmen. His portrait was painted by the artist [[William Dring]], Royal Academy.<ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014"/>

== Death ==
On the afternoon of 17 February 1945, Majumdar took part in a flying display at Walton, near [[Lahore]] in a [[Hawker Hurricane]].<ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014"/><ref name="pilarisetti"/> The aircraft he chose had a past history of snags and malfunction and he was warned by Flying Officer [[Harjinder Singh (IAF Officer)|Harjinder Singh]]. During a dive in the aerobatic routine, the aircraft developed a snag and it crashed headlong into the ground. Majumdar died instantly. He was 31.<ref name="pilarisetti"/>

The following epitaph appears on the marble headstone of his grave at Lahore:

"Go, passers-by And do if you can as he did A Man's part In defence of liberty."<ref name="Somnath Sapru 2014"/>

== See also ==
* [[Indra Lal Roy]]
* [[Subroto Mukerjee]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{S-bef|before=[[Subroto Mukerjee]]}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[Commanding Officer]] [[No. 1 Squadron IAF]]|years=1941–1942}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Subroto Mukerjee]]}}
{{end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Majumdar, Karun Krishna}}
[[Category:1913 births]]
[[Category:Bengali people]]
[[Category:St. Paul's School, Darjeeling alumni]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Kolkata]]
[[Category:Indian Air Force officers]]
[[Category:Indian aviators]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:1945 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian Army personnel killed in World War II]]