Prem Ramchandani
TSW Citation
Sindhis in Air Force: Sindhi Saput: Shahid Prem Ramchandani
This is customary tradition of Sindhi community that individuals never hesitate to scarify self for the community and nation. This trend was introduced to youth by Hemu Kalani during the dying days of British rule in the country and after independence many young Sindhis like K. L. Malkani, Haresh Masand , Captain Muralidhar Kourhani and many others serving in Indian armed forces have scarify their lives for safe guarding India during the wars with Pakistan and China. Jewel of these scarifying souls was the Prem Ramchandani.
About Prem Ramchandani
Prem Ramchandani was born in Sindh on 19th October in the year 1941 and was just seven year to suffer the pains of partition and transaction as the family shifted to Bombay [Mumbai] in the year 1948. During the college education at Jai Hind college, he decided to join Air force of India.
He passed the entrance and after completing the college education was sent to famous Jodhpur air force college for training and completed his training at Hyderabad [Andhra Pradesh] and joined Indian Air force as the fighter pilot.
Prem was commissioned as the flying officer on the 22nd June 1963 and got posting with the 3 squadron “Cobras” which have motto “Lakshya Vedh” [destroy the target with precision]. He was given service No. 7442 and charge of air craft “Mystere”. His courage, brave action and intelligence soon made him popular and trust worthy with fellow pilots and officials.
In the 1965 war with Pakistan, he was assigned task of keeping the Karachi under the air raids of Indian force. Amritsar was the base airport for his activities. In the four days between 18th to 22nd September he completed nine attacks and returned successfully back to base camp. Unfortunately, after the tenth attacked his plane trapped in the rage of firing by ground forces of Pakistan and as a result his plane got damaged and encircled with flames of fire. Prem was with option of pressing the eject button to save the life but as this brave sindhi son was not willing to respire last on enemy land so kept on flying and jumped only after the plane was about to reach on Amritsar airport.
His blood shaded body was taken to Amritsar Military Hospital. Doctors tried hard for saving the physical life for this great fighting nationalist soul but on the 26th September 1965, death emerge as the winner. His body was taken to Mumbai and 27th September Agani Sanskar was done in the traditional Hindu way with due national honour.
Famous and popular Sindhi folk singer Bhagwanti Navani is eventually immortal as she even after losing the physical existence still alive at hearts of thousands and thousands of Sindhi music lovers. Often called as Sindhi Koyel Bhagwanti was born on 01 Feb 1940 at Nasarpur. Undisputed queen of Singing Sindhi Lada (marriage ritual songs) Bhagwanti will always be remembered for singing Sukhamani Sahib (Guru Bani) in Sindhi. She also acted in Sindhi film Sindhua Je Kinare. On 22 Oct 1986 she left for heavenly abode.