How An Indian Navy Sea Hawk Flew A Groom To His Wedding Amid 1965 Indo-Pak Tensions

A Navy Sea Hawk is an anti-submarine warfare aircraft that performs several functions, including search, surface warfare, and rescue. Its job description does not include carrying a bridegroom to his wedding.

However, in 1965, an Indian Navy Sea Hawk took off from INS Vikrant, an aircraft carrier in service with the Indian Navy, to get a young lieutenant married. Yes! It's true, but no one can find official records of the aircraft serving a personal mission.

How An Indian Navy Aircraft Took Off From INS Vikrant To Get A Lieutenant Married

Brains Trust India published a video of Rear Admiral Santosh Kumar Gupta narrating the interesting tale of how he flew the Indian Navy aircraft to get married in 1965.

"In May 1965, my marriage had been fixed for the 12th of May. And accordingly, Vikrant gave me leave to go and get married and so on 4th, I took a train and went via Bangalore (presently Bengaluru), on my way from Cochin (present day Kochi), to Dehradun," he shared.

However, by the time the team reached Bangalore, the military police conveyed to him that he had to head back to Cochin because hostilities had been declared between India and Pakistan. In such instances, leave is often cancelled.

In May 1965, tensions between India and Pakistan were extremely high, driven by active border conflicts in the Rann of Kutch since April that year. Pakistan also increased infiltration attempts in Kashmir during the same period. British Prime Minister Harold Wilson had to intervene to mediate between the two countries, which led to a temporary agreement on June 30, 1965. 

"I went back, accordingly, on the 5th. From the 5th to the 12th, the squadron and I were on Vikrant at sea, exercising, preparing for the war with the fleet," Rear Admiral S K Gupta added.

*Once an Indian Navy Sea Hawk took off from INS Vikrant*

It's mission???
To get Married !!

An epic story I found when I was browsing for Indian Navy Sea Hawks.

''Sometime in May 1965 the war clouds with our western neighbour were building up and Vikrant steamed out into the… pic.twitter.com/LOXIRBhHPR

— Mountain Rats (@mountain_rats) February 12, 2026

However, his fleet admiral was made aware that he was supposed to get married on May 12, so he agreed to loan him an aircraft to get married and return to duty within 24 hours. On May 12, Rear Admiral S. K. Gupta took off from INS Vikrant, landed in Bangalore, got married, and the next morning, he landed back on INS Vikrant.

How Did The Lieutenant Confirm His Arrival To His In-Laws

We are talking about 1965. There was no internet or high-speed satellite communication. If a Navy officer had to convey a message to their family, they used letters, port calls, and postcards, among others.

But back then, the young lieutenant did not have time. He himself did not know that he would make it to his own wedding. "Since my going to Bangalore was uncertain, my father-in-law-to-be agreed that if I didn't make it on May 12 then they would understand that the wedding would be postponed. But they did not give up," he shared.

So he had to find a way to inform his in-laws and family that the wedding would happen on the said date. Before his arrival and landing at the Bangalore airport, the lieutenant flew over the bride's home a little low. "I flew 1-2 circles around the house to tell them that I had come," he added.

By the time he reached the airport, refuelled the aircraft, and put it in the hangar, the reception party was waiting for him.

One must note that when an aircraft, especially of the forces, flies anywhere on a mission, official entries are made to keep track of it. However, this mission never made it to the official documents. "There is no proof that I had taken off. It was not authorised," he said.

"Nowhere was it mentioned that I was going to Bangalore and coming back. Nor was the marriage registered, so I kept teasing my wife that we really are not married because we have no registration and there is no proof that I was there in Bangalore," he said, concluding the tale of his interesting but unofficial wedding adventures.

The young pilot served in the Indian Navy from 1958 to 1990. He commanded INAS 300 White Tigers in the 1971 Indo-Pak war and was honoured with the Maha Vir Chakra, the second-highest gallantry award. He rose through the ranks and retired as Rear Admiral.

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