In the pre-dawn skies of September 4, 1965, as the war with Pakistan intensified, a young fighter pilot from the hills of Kangra registered his name in the Indian aviation history.
Flying a nimble Folland Gnat, Flight Lieutenant Virendra “Pat” Singh Pathania engaged a formation of Pakistani F-86 Sabre jets — the aircraft famed for their speed and firepower. Minutes later, one of the Sabre jets fell onto the ground.
It was the first confirmed air combat kill of the Indian Air Force (IAF), a defining moment that should have made Pathania a household name. Instead, his legacy slowly faded from public memory.
That morning above Pathankot, however, his brilliance was unparalleled. As the Sabre jets swerved, dived and climbed, Pathania held his nerve.
His manoeuvres were crisp and instinctive. In a dramatic dogfight, he outpaced the enemy, slipped behind one of the jets and fired with deadly precision. The Sabre plunged earthward, marking India’s arrival in the modern aerial warfare.
The victory proved far more than a single kill. It lifted morale and helped the IAF assert air superiority during the 1965 war with Pakistan, demonstrating that Indian pilots could match the best in the region through skills and courage.
For this act of exceptional gallantry, Flight Lieutenant Pathania was awarded the Vir Chakra, one of India’s highest wartime honours. Today, as his story resurfaces, he is remembered not only as a fighter pilot but also as a pioneer whose legacy continues to inspire generations of aviators.
From Nurpur’s royal lineage to the skies
Virendra Singh was born into the royal Pathania family of Nurpur on November 6, 1937, and inherited a legacy of warriors. Yet, unlike his forebears, his ambitions lay not on land but in the skies.
Known affectionately as “Bhoti” among friends, his childhood was shaped by disruption. Partition forced him to leave Burnhall School in Srinagar and continue his education in Rey village and later in Dharamsala.
Watching aircraft thunder over the Kangra valley, the young Pathania found his calling. His choosing the Air Force over the family’s traditional Army lineage was seen as an act of defiance. Even after clearing the Joint Services Wing examination (now the NDA), he was urged to reconsider. He did not.
Commissioned into the IAF in 1956, Pathania served with Squadron No. 23 and 18, flying Vampire jets before transitioning to the Hawker Hunter.
Postings in Poona, Kalaikunda and Bagdogra sharpened his combat skills. In 1963, he was selected for the elite Pilot Attack Instructor Course, the IAF’s equivalent of a Top Gun programme. Graduating among the finest dogfighters in the country, Pathania returned to Squadron No. 23 unaware that the history awaited him.
When Pakistan’s Sabre jet fell on that September morning in 1965, Pathania not only defended Indian airspace but also etched Nurpur’s name into the annals of military aviation.
Life beyond the cockpit
After the war, Pathania returned to civilian life with quiet dignity. In December 1965, he married Asha from the royal family of Keonthal (Junga). Their eldest son, Trigun Vir, is associated with Eagle Riders (India) while their second son, Karan Vir, chose agriculture over aviation.
Their daughter Preeti has pursued her own professional ventures. The family today divides its time between Patiala and their ancestral home in Rey, preserving the cultural and historical legacy of the Nurpur royal family.
Overlooked for decades, Flight Lieutenant Virendra “Pat” Singh Pathania exemplifies how the greatest heroes often remain unsung, despite their extraordinary contributions.
