Suhas Biswas: Difference between revisions

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}

{{Use Indian English|date=July 2022}}

[[Flight lieutenant|Flight Lieutenant]] '''Suhas Biswas''', [[Ashoka Chakra (military decoration)|AC]] (9 September 1924 – 1 September 1957) was an Officer in the [[Indian Air Force]] who was the first Air Force Officer to be awarded the [[Ashoka Chakra (military decoration)|Ashoka Chakra]], India's highest peacetime military award, in the year of 1953.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Awards/Peace/305-AC.html|title=Ashoka Chakra|website=bharat-rakshak.com|access-date=2 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://evergreenebr.com/defence/medal-rack/|title=Medal Rack|date=18 February 2017|access-date=2 November 2022}}</ref>

Suhas Biswas was born in a [[Bengalis|Bengali]] [[Christians|Christian]] family in [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], the son of Samuel Biswas and  Diana Biswas. After completing his education Biswas joined the Indian Air Force as a pilot in 1944 and became a commissioned officer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://gallantryawards.gov.in/Awardee/flt-lt-suhas-biswas|title=FLT LT SUHAS BISWAS|access-date=1 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=FLIGHT LT - SUHAS BISWAS|publisher=Aan|year=2017|isbn=9788192857053}}</ref>

In 1952 Biswas was working in a Communication Flight unit in [[Lucknow]]. On 3 February 1952 senior army officials were returning to [[New Delhi]] after an official visit. Biswas was in control of their aircraft. Soon after it took off a crew member observed an engine malfunction; subsequently a fire broke out. Biswas first tried to extinguish it, but it was getting difficult to control the aircraft. He decided to attempt a forced landing, and made a belly landing at [[Sandila]] village located in Uttar Pradesh and successfully saved the lives of all the passengers. Biswas was awarded the Ashoka Chakra, (India Highest Peacetime Military Decoration) for his extraordinary example of Valour, Courageous Actions, intelligence and rationality.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8LjjDAAAQBAJ&q=suhas+biswas+ashok+chakra&pg=PT38|title=Ashoka Chakra Recipients|last=Rashmi Aggarwal|date=January 0101|access-date=1 November 2022}}</ref>