'An Absolute Privilege,' IndiGo Pilot On Sharing Cockpit With Kargil Hero Nachiketa

For most pilots, a flight is another entry in the logbook. For IndiGo pilot Hemanth Naidu, one recent flight became a memory he says he will carry for life. Naidu recently shared his experience of flying with Group Captain K. Nachiketa (retd), the former Indian Air Force fighter pilot and Kargil War prisoner of war who now flies commercial aircraft.

He Was Captured During The Kargil War

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A post shared by Mahima & Hemanth (@cockpit2corporate)

In an Instagram video, Naidu recalled sitting beside Nachiketa and realising the story behind the pilot flying alongside him. During the 1999 Kargil War, Nachiketa was flying a MiG-27 on a combat mission when his aircraft suffered an engine failure. He ejected and landed deep inside enemy-held territory, where he was captured by Pakistani forces.

He spent eight days as a prisoner of war before being safely returned to India. His experience in captivity has been documented in several interviews, including accounts in which he recalled being interrogated and physically tortured.

Years later, Nachiketa's career took him from military aviation to commercial flying. He is now a pilot with IndiGo.

For Naidu, sharing the cockpit with him was particularly meaningful because Nachiketa was someone whose story he had read about earlier.

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In his post, Naidu wrote that there are flights pilots record in their logbooks and then there are flights they carry with them for life. He described it as an absolute privilege to share the cockpit of an Airbus A321 with Nachiketa.

Naidu also wrote about growing up admiring people who served the country in uniform. Although his own career took him into commercial aviation, he said that respect has only grown stronger.

Flying alongside someone who had lived through one of the most difficult chapters of the Kargil War, he said, reminded him of the importance of courage, humility and resilience. He ended by calling it an honour to fly with Group Captain K. Nachiketa (retd).

The Internet Had Plenty To Say

The comments on Naidu's post were filled with admiration for Nachiketa. One person called it a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" to share the cockpit with him. Another simply wrote, "Incredible!!"

Someone else said it would be a true honour to fly with a decorated serviceman with so much experience. 

One person said they had met him and had a great conversation without knowing about his Kargil past. They described him as "sweet and humble."

Several people who had actually flown with Nachiketa shared their own memories. One commenter said they had the privilege of operating with him and remembered him as "humble and grounded", despite everything he had accomplished. Another called him one of the best captains they had flown with and gave him a "10/10" rating.

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One person described him as one of the calmest fighters they had known and said they had been able to call him family, seek his guidance and fly with him. Another comment summed up the sentiment with the phrase, "Once a fauji always a fauji."

There were also comments thanking him for his service to the country, along with messages calling him a legend and praising his valour.