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Sky Force, starring Akshay Kumar and Veer Pahariya in lead roles, is all set to grace the theatres on January 24, 2025. Sky Force is based on real-life events and draws its inspiration from the air war between the Indian and Pakistani Air Forces during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. If you are planning to watch the movie in theatres anytime soon, here is everything you need to know about the war and what happened to Squadron Leader Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya who went missing and was presumed dead.

Indo-Pakistani air war of 1965

The Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 marked a significant milestone in the history of aerial combat between the two nations. For the first time, the Indian and Pakistani Air Forces engaged in large-scale aerial battles, conducting thousands of defensive and offensive sorties over Indian and Pakistani airspace in September 1965.

As the air war raged on, both India and Pakistan claimed victory, with each side presenting differing accounts of the damage inflicted on the other. Pakistan asserted that it had destroyed 104 Indian aircraft, while losing 19 of its own, whereas India claimed to have destroyed 73 Pakistani aircraft, suffering losses of 35 aircraft. Despite these conflicting claims, the air war ultimately ended in a stalemate, with neither side able to gain a decisive advantage.

The 1965 Indo-Pakistani war was a complex and multifaceted conflict, with various factors contributing to its outcome. The war saw the largest engagement of armoured vehicles and the largest tank battle since World War II, with both sides suffering significant losses. The conflict also had far-reaching geopolitical implications, leading to a significant shift in the regional balance of power and altering the dynamics of India-Pakistan relations.

Squadron Leader Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya: The Hero Of 1965 Air War

Squadron Leader Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya, nicknamed "Wings of Fire," was a hero of the 1965 India-Pakistan War. He was part of a daring strike mission targeting the Pakistani airbase Sargodha when his aircraft was attacked by an enemy plane. Despite being outnumbered, Devayya skillfully shot down the enemy pursuer's plane, but in the process, his own aircraft suffered significant damage, leading to his disappearance. 

What Happened to Ajjamada B. Devayya?

The circumstances surrounding Squadron Leader Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya's disappearance and presumed death during the 1965 India-Pakistan War remained shrouded in mystery for decades. Initially, the Indian Air Force (IAF) reported him missing and later, he was declared dead, but the exact circumstances of his demise were unknown. 

It wasn't until 1979, when British writer John Fricker was commissioned by the Pakistani Air Force to chronicle the war from a Pakistani perspective, that some clarity emerged. Fricker's work revealed that Devayya's body had been found by villagers near Sargodha, relatively intact, and buried. 

This new information led the IAF to reevaluate Devayya's fate and in 1988, award him the Maha Vir Chakra posthumously, a distinction that remains the only posthumous Maha Vir Chakra awarded by the IAF. Mrs. Devayya accepted the honour on behalf of her late husband, nearly 23 years after the war. In the years that followed, Devayya's legacy was further honoured, with the private bus stand circle in Madikeri, Kodagu, being named after him in 2009 and a statue erected in his memory by the Kodava Makkada Koota. Tragically, in 2023, the statue was damaged when a bus crashed into it, sparking suspicions of a deliberate act of vandalism.

About Sky Force

Sky Force is inspired by the true events of the 1965 Indo-Pak War, specifically the attack on Sargodha, now known as PAF Base Mushaf, on September 7, 1965. The movie depicts a crucial victory in the history of the Indian Air Force, where a 13-aircraft contingent, led by Group Captain O.P Taneja, played by Akshay Kumar, executed a daring airstrike against Pakistan. Veer Pahariya portrays Squadron Leader Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya, whose character is named T Vijaya in the film, while Sara Ali Khan plays the role of his wife. The movie promises to showcase the bravery and courage of the Indian Air Force personnel who fought in this historic battle.

Sky Force Cast: Who Plays Whom?

Akshay Kumar as Wing Commander K.O. Ahuja (fictionalisation of O.P. Taneja VrC)

Veer Pahariya as T. Vijaya (fictionalisation of Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya MVC)

Sara Ali Khan as Vijaya's wife

Nimrat Kaur as Ahuja's wife

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