IAF Squadron Leader Sudhir Kumar Wins Shaurya Chakra for Saving Su-30MKI from Night Flight Control Failure
Squadron Leader Sudhir Kumar of the Indian Air Force has been awarded the Shaurya Chakra for recovering a Su-30MKI fighter aircraft after a catastrophic flight control system failure during a night sortie, an emergency that placed both aircrew and the aircraft in immediate danger.
The award was approved by President Droupadi Murmu as part of the gallantry honours announced on the eve of Independence Day 2026. The citation recognises Kumar’s courage, airmanship and presence of mind during an incident on the night of September 9, 2025, when he was supervising a low-level navigation training mission in a Su-30MKI.
Kumar was flying as captain and supervisor in the rear cockpit, while an under-training pilot occupied the front seat. During the recovery phase of the mission, the fighter was at an altitude of about 2.2 kilometres and travelling at nearly 740 kmph when multiple channels of its Fly-By-Wire flight control system reportedly failed.
The failure triggered violent longitudinal oscillations and pushed the aircraft into an extremely hazardous flight regime. According to the details released, the Su-30MKI’s pitch attitude began swinging sharply between roughly 45 degrees nose-up and 15 degrees nose-down. At the same time, the crew experienced severe changes in gravitational forces, ranging from around minus 1.5 g to as much as plus 12 g. The angle of attack also rose beyond normal limits, bringing the aircraft dangerously close to an uncontrolled aerodynamic condition.
The emergency was compounded by the fact that it occurred at night, leaving the pilots without clear external visual cues. The rapidly shifting g-loads affected their vision and orientation, increasing the risk of losing control of the aircraft at a time when every second mattered.
Despite the intense physical strain, Kumar retained situational awareness and took charge of the recovery. He assessed the flight control indications and verified that the Fly-By-Wire red warning light had not illuminated, a detail that proved crucial in determining the next step.
He then instructed the pilot in the front cockpit to reset the failed Fly-By-Wire channels using the appropriate controls. Carrying out that procedure while the aircraft was pitching violently and being subjected to sharply varying g-forces required exceptional composure and technical understanding.
As the aircraft continued to lose airspeed during the oscillations, Kumar recognised that the situation could quickly become unrecoverable. He directed the restoration of engine power at the critical moment, helping the fighter regain the energy needed to stabilise and recover.
Throughout the emergency, he continued guiding the trainee pilot while enduring severe physiological stress himself. His calm instructions and timely decisions helped bring the aircraft under control and avert what could have become a fatal accident.
The Su-30MKI was eventually recovered successfully and returned safely to base with both aircrew members on board. Kumar’s actions saved two lives and also prevented the loss of one of the Indian Air Force’s frontline combat aircraft.
Squadron Leader Kumar is described as an experienced fighter pilot and supervisor with more than 1,300 hours of flying experience. He serves with a frontline Su-30MKI squadron and was performing the responsibility of supervising a trainee when the emergency unfolded.
The Su-30MKI, a twin-engine, two-seat multirole fighter, remains one of the principal combat aircraft in Indian Air Force service. Its digital flight control system continuously interprets pilot inputs and commands the aircraft’s control surfaces, which makes a multiple-channel Fly-By-Wire failure a particularly serious emergency.
Recovering such an aircraft from a major flight control malfunction at night, at comparatively low altitude and high speed, is among the most demanding situations a combat pilot can face. Rapid movement between negative and extremely high positive g-forces can impair vision, orientation and consciousness within seconds.
The Shaurya Chakra is one of India’s highest peacetime gallantry decorations and is awarded for acts of exceptional courage performed otherwise than in the face of the enemy. In this case, the honour recognises Kumar’s response to a potentially catastrophic airborne emergency where the margin between recovery and disaster was measured in moments.
Public information about Kumar’s personal background remains limited, as is often the case with serving military personnel. But the account of the September 2025 incident presents a clear picture of technical competence, leadership and composure under severe pressure.
For defence aspirants and aircrew alike, the episode illustrates that military aviation depends on far more than flying skill. Knowledge of aircraft systems, disciplined decision-making, physical endurance and the ability to remain calm during an apparently uncontrollable emergency can determine whether an aircraft and its crew return safely.
Kumar’s successful recovery of the Su-30MKI stands out as an example of Indian Air Force airmanship and of the professionalism expected from those entrusted with operating some of the country’s most advanced combat aircraft.
