Kambampati Nachiketa

Who is Kambampati Nachiketa?

Wing Commander Kambampati Nachiketa Vayusena Medal, is a serving officer of the Indian Air Force. Wing Commander Nachiketa came into the limelight during the Kargil War when on 27 May 1999, as a Flight Lieutenant, he was captured by Pakistani troops in Kashmir following ejection from his MiG-27L aircraft after his engine was hit by Pakistani Stinger missile causing an engine flame-out while flying against infiltrator positions during the initial stages of Operation Safed Sagar. He was held in Pakistani custody as the first Indian prisoner of war of the conflict.

Wing Commander Nachiketa was born on 31 May 1973 to Mr K R K Sastry and Mrs Laxmi Sastry. He studied at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Delhi, and joined the Indian Air Force after training at the National Defence Academy at Khadakvasla, near Pune.