Air Vice Marshal Sunil Jayant Nanodkar, a decorated fighter pilot and strategic leader, has shaped India’s air power, pioneered aviation innovations, and inspires Goan youth to pursue challenging careers in military aviation
John Aguiar
Air Vice Marshal Sunil Jayant Nanodkar AVSM VM VSM was commissioned in the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on December 11, 1981. He is an officer with family roots in Nanoda.
Early in his flying career, he flew the Mig 21 aircraft in its operational role. As a young pilot in 1987, he got an opportunity to convert onto the newly inducted Jaguar aircraft. He was amongst the few Jaguar pilots selected to induct the indigenously built Maritime version of Jagur aircraft in the IAF. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) and has 4000 hours of flying experience on various fighter and trainer aircraft of the IAF. He is also a graduate from the Defence Services Staff College and an alumnus of the National Defence
College.
Nanodkar has successfully commanded Jaguar Squadron in Ambala during Operation Parakram. He was very fortunate to command two fighter bases, one being on the western border in Kutch region and the other on the Indo-China border. He has served in two Army Commands as an Air Force Advisor to the Army Commander on air operations. He retired as the Assistant Chief of Air Staff Operations (Offensive) from Air HQ New Delhi, responsible for all the offensive operational assets of the Indian Air Force used to inflict damage inside the enemy country.
Earlier, on being appointed as the Director of Operations (Tactical) in July 2003 in the rank of Group Captain, apart from monitoring the training and operational status of all the offensive aircraft fleets of the Indian Air Force, he was assigned the task of leading the team of air warriors to participate in a multinational exercise called ‘Co-operative Cope Thunder’ in Alaska, United States of America. This involved activities from initial planning of operations, maintenance, logistics and administrative requirements for a first ever fighter aircraft, and refueling tankers deployment outside India. The exercise entailed deploying six Jaguar aircraft, two IL-78 Flight Refuellers and two IL-76 heavy lift transport support aircraft across four continents, at a distance of 20000 kilometers from the homeland. He took on the challenge and meticulously planned the training of participating forces and their deployment to and from Alaska. Coordinating activities of transport, flight refueller and fighter aircraft away from homeland was a complex task and could only be achieved due to his foresight analytical approach and thorough
planning.
Having successfully and safely executed this exercise, a template has been put in place for the IAF to participate in any such endeavours since then. This has also resulted in projection of cutting edge operational capability before they developed Air Forces. While undertaking this additional responsibility, he continued to closely monitor the upgrade programmes of two major fighter fleets (Jaguars and MIG-27s) along with their induction in the operational units.
In his appointments at the Air HQ, he was instrumental in developing many air to ground, surface to surface and air to air weapons with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Some of these have been inducted into the active service and have proven effective during Operation Sindoor. For his professionalism, overall contribution to nation building and exceptional devotion to duty, he was awarded Ati Vishist Seva Medal, Vayu Sena Medal, and Vishisht Seva Medals by the President of India and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Award for innovation in Aviation by DRDO and Aeronautical Society of India.
He now resides in Goa and contributes towards indigenisation in the aerospace sector. Nanodkar says that there is tremendous talent among Goan youth. However the awareness about an exciting career such as being a combat pilot in the IAF or Indian Navy is very low, which is disappointing. He believes that it is incumbent on educational institutes to
offer exposure.
His advice to all young Goan lads as well as girls, who like adventure and wish to lead a challenging life, is to consider military aviator as a career option as it is a satisfying one.
According to him, it is one of the best way to serve your nation.
