From Enemy Fire to POW Escape: Remembering IAF Hero Dilip Parulkar
Pune, 11th August 2025: Group Captain Dilip Kumar Parulkar (retd), a decorated Indian Air Force (IAF) veteran remembered for his bravery in both the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars, passed away on Sunday morning following a cardiac arrest at his Pune residence. He was 82.
Parulkar is survived by his wife Rajlaxmi and two sons, Sachin and Aditya. Family members said he collapsed shortly after breakfast. His funeral was held at the Vaikunth crematorium, where personnel from the Pune Air Force Station honoured him with a wreath-laying ceremony.
The IAF paid tribute to the war hero on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, posting: “Gp Capt DK Parulkar (Retd) VM, VSM — 1971 War hero, who led a daring escape from captivity in Pakistan, embodying unmatched courage, ingenuity & pride in the IAF — has left for his heavenly abode. All Air Warriors of the IAF express their heartfelt condolences.”
Distinguished Service Career
Commissioned into the IAF in March 1963, Parulkar served in various operational and instructional roles. He was a flying instructor at the Air Force Academy and also trained pilots in Singapore during a two-year deputation between 1979 and 1981.
During the 1965 war, his aircraft was hit by enemy fire and a bullet pierced through the cockpit, injuring his right shoulder. Despite being ordered to eject, he managed to land the damaged aircraft safely — an act for which he was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal.
In the 1971 war, Parulkar was captured by Pakistani forces and imprisoned at Rawalpindi Jail. In August 1972, he, along with Flight Lieutenants M.S. Grewal and Harish Sinhji, made a daring escape attempt by digging a tunnel from their cell. They were caught just a few kilometres from the Indian border.
An IAF profile describes the feat as requiring “relentless hard work, determination and valour, in the highest tradition of the IAF,” adding that the act “compelled the enemy to respect the calibre of the IAF not only in the air but also on the ground.” For his exemplary service, Parulkar was honoured with the Vishisht Seva Medal.
Tributes from Comrades
Air Marshal Subhash Bhojwani (retd), a close friend, recalled their time together after Parulkar’s repatriation. “At the Air Force Academy, he would often narrate stories from Rawalpindi Jail. One that stayed with me was about a Pakistan Air Force officer’s wife who asked the POWs what they missed most. They said Chinese food — and that night, to their surprise, they were served Chinese for dinner,” he said.
Bhojwani also remembered Parulkar’s passion for tennis. “He was such an avid player that he would regularly travel to Wimbledon and even the Olympics. That was his love for sports.”
Air Marshal Bhushan Gokhale (retd) said Parulkar’s service record made him an inspiration for generations of IAF officers. “He had the rare distinction of safely ejecting from an aircraft three times in his career. His love for flying was unmatched, and his energy was infectious. We have lost a courageous air warrior and a wonderful human being.”
