Sonal Singh On Sonal's Table
CALLING ALL FAUJIS (and brats!)
If Top Gun gave us Maverick in Tom Cruise—reckless, brilliant, and unforgettable—then India had its own real-life maverick decades earlier in Sq Ldr Pushp Kumar Vaid.
Extraordinary Life of a Helicopter Pilot by Sangeetha Vallat is a crisp, engaging tribute to a life that reads like high-octane fiction but is grounded in extraordinary truth. A decorated helicopter pilot and Vir Chakra recipient, Sq Ldr Vaid’s story soars through some of the most defining moments of modern military history, most notably the daring Meghna heli-bridge operations during the Bangladesh Liberation War.
What makes this memoir stand out is not just the action…the perilous sorties, rescue missions, and near-death experiences, including a miraculous survival in the North Sea…but the man behind the machine. He emerges as resilient, inventive (creating a loan fund for fellow men, new offices for NCC, authoring a five-part series on Indian cooking for a Scottish newspaper, etc), and deeply humane, guided by his simple yet powerful philosophy: Life is Wonderful.
For any fauji (or brat) who has lived the air force life (like yours truly), who grew up around bases like Pathankot (a station for Mi helicopters) or others mentioned in the book—Tezpur, Jorhat, Kumbhirgram—the book carries an added layer of nostalgia.
The details ring true, from the whir of Mi helicopters to the cadence of IAF jargon, making it a particularly immersive read for fauji families. That said, even civilian readers will find themselves drawn into its vivid storytelling and emotional honesty.
Sangeetha’s meticulous research shines through, not just in operational accuracy but in period authenticity, right down to names like Dacca and Calcutta. The narrative is enriched with personal anecdotes, interview transcripts, Enfield Bullet escapades, etc, lending warmth and intimacy to a story defined by courage.
At its heart, this is more than a war memoir. It is a celebration of a life lived fully, of a man who turned danger into destiny and survival into service. Crisp, inspiring, and deeply respectful, this book is a fitting tribute to a true Indian Maverick.
