Patna (Bihar) [India]: Air Marshal AK Bharti, Director General Air Operations (DGMO), has been widely praised for his strategic leadership and decisive execution in the success of Operation Sindoor, India’s major military response targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
Launched on May 7, Operation Sindoor was carried out following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed 26 civilian lives. The operation involved precision strikes on nine key terror hideouts, followed by retaliatory attacks on 11 Pakistani airbases and military installations.
Pride Back Home: Bharti’s Family Reacts
In his hometown in Bihar, Air Marshal Bharti’s family expressed immense pride in his leadership role in the critical national security operation.
“Ever since I came to know about this, I feel incredibly proud,” said Jeevachhlal Yadav, father of Air Marshal Bharti. “I didn’t know anything before the operation, but when it started being published in newspapers, I felt very proud. India has made a name for itself through Operation Sindoor, and I am delighted that my son headed it.”
His sister-in-law, Kiran, added,
“We are overjoyed. We can’t express it in words. It’s a matter of pride not just for us but for entire Bihar and the country.”
Air Marshal AK Bharti: A Career of Excellence
Commissioned into the Flying Branch in 1987, Air Marshal Bharti has had a distinguished career marked by milestones in leadership, combat readiness, and operational excellence:
- Fighter Combat Leader and graduate of Defence Services Staff College (DSSC)
- Former Flight Commander of a Sukhoi-30MKI Squadron
- Held the key staff role of Joint Director of Air Defence Operations at Air HQ
- Recipient of ‘Three Stars’ for accident-free flying and a CAS commendation in 1997 for dedication to duty
- Promoted to Air Marshal in September 2023
Operation Sindoor: India’s New Counter-Terror Doctrine
Operation Sindoor has been hailed as a strategic turning point in India’s counter-terrorism policy. In his national address on May 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the operation as a “new normal” in India’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism.
“After the surgical strike in 2016 and the air strike in 2019, Operation Sindoor is now a benchmark in India’s resolve,” said PM Modi. “Water and blood cannot flow together.”
The operation not only neutralised over 100 terrorists linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen, but also strategically crippled Pakistan’s radar, communications, and airfield infrastructure, leading to a cessation of hostilities on May 10.