‘Sky Force’ to celebrate heroics of Kodagu Sqn. Ldr. A.B. Devayya
News, Top Stories

‘Sky Force’ to celebrate heroics of Kodagu Sqn. Ldr. A.B. Devayya

January 13, 2025

Madikeri: ‘Sky Force,’ a Hindi historical war film highlighting the heroics of Squadron Leader Ajjamada B. Devayya, a Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) awardee from Kodagu, who heroically downed a Pakistani aircraft and made the ultimate sacrifice during 1965 Indo-Pak War, is set to release on Jan. 24, coinciding with Republic Day.

Directed by Abhishek Anil Kapur and Sandeep Kewlani, and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik under Maddock Films alongside Jyoti Deshpande under Jio Studios, the film stars Akshay Kumar as Wing Commander O.P. Taneja (Veer Chakra).

Veer Pahariya debuts as Squadron Leader Devayya, while Sara Ali Khan portrays Devayya’s wife, Sundari Devayya. Nimrat Kaur also plays a significant role.

The film’s trailer has already stirred a wave of patriotism. It is based on the book ‘1965 War and Kodagu’s Maha Vir Chakra Awardee Squadron Leader Ajjamada B. Devayya’s Life Story,’ authored by journalist-writer Ithichanda Ramesh Uthappa and published by Kodava Makkada Koota under the guidance of Bollajira B. Ayyappa.

Before production, Devayya’s wife Sundari Devayya, their children, the Kodava Makkada Koota and author Ramesh Uthappa granted a no-objection certificate to the film-makers.

Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya and Sundari in an undated photo.

The air battle of Sargodha

Squadron Leader Ajjamada Devayya was just 32 when he gave his life for the nation during an audacious airstrike over Sargodha, Pakistan’s most fortified airbase, on Sept. 7, 1965.

Despite piloting a French-made Dassault Mystere, vastly inferior to the US-made Pakistani F-104 Starfighter, Devayya displayed extraordinary courage, shooting down the enemy aircraft in a two-minute dogfight  before crashing.

Posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) in 1988 — 23 years after his sacrifice — Devayya’s valour came to light thanks to Pakistani Flight Lieutenant Amjad Hussain, whose aircraft he shot down, and British author John Fricker’s book ‘Battle for Pakistan: The Air War of 1965’.

READ ALSO  Snails gnaw their way through coffee crop

Born on Dec. 24, 1932, in Manchalli village near Kutta, South Kodagu, to Ajjamada Bopayya and Neelamma, Devayya joined the Indian Air Force on Dec. 26, 1954. Devayya was married to Keethiyanda Sundari. During the 1965 war, he was an instructor at the Air Force Flying College and was posted to ‘No.1 Tigers Squadron’.

Actor Veer Pahariya, who debuts as Squadron Leader Devayya, seen with Sundari Devayya, the 90-year-old wife of the legendary Maha Vir Chakra recipient, Squadron Leader Ajjamada B. Devayya and their daughters, Smitha and Preetha, in Bengaluru.

Dogfight at 7,000 feet

Devayya’s final mission was part of an airstrike targeting Pakistan’s Sargodha airbase. In a legendary dogfight at 7,000 feet, he outmanoeuvred and damaged Hussain’s advanced Starfighter, forcing him to eject. Devayya, despite being hit, didn’t eject and decided to give a far superior plane, a fight for its life.

Though mortally wounded, Devayya chose to stay in the fight, firing point-blank and bringing down the enemy aircraft. Devayya opened his 30mm cannon and fired at point-blank range at F-104, damaging the aircraft. Amjad Hussain was forced to eject at a low level but Devayya was not able to eject due to its damaged Mystere and crashed on Pakistani soil.

The action was over in less than two minutes. What Devayya achieved in the pre-dawn Pakistani skies that morning is now considered one of the most remarkable events in the history of post-world war air combat.

Memorials

A 6-ft-9-inch bronze statue of Squadron Leader Ajjamada B. Devayya has been installed at the Old Private Bus Stand Circle in Madikeri, Kodagu district. The installation was led by members of the Ajjamada family, the Squadron Leader Ajjamada B. Devayya Memorial Trust, the Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa and General Thimayya Forum, and the Kodava Makkada Koota.

READ ALSO  Gen. K.S. Thimayya Statue at Madikeri collapses as KSRTC bus crashes on it

In Mysuru, the Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya Bhavan, situated near the old Deputy Commissioner’s Office, is managed by the Department of Sainik Welfare and Rehabilitation. The initiative to name the building after Devayya was championed by late Mandetira N. Subramani, President of VeKare Ex-Servicemen Trust,  Mysuru, who passed away on Sept. 21, 2023.

ABOUT

Mysuru’s favorite and largest circulated English evening daily has kept the citizens of Mysuru informed and entertained since 1978. Over the past 45 years, Star of Mysore has been the newspaper that Mysureans reach for every evening to know about the happenings in Mysuru city. The newspaper has feature rich articles and dedicated pages targeted at readers across the demographic spectrum of Mysuru city. With a readership of over 2,50,000 Star of Mysore has been the best connection between it’s readers and their leaders; between advertisers and customers; between Mysuru and Mysureans.

CONTACT

Academy News Papers Private Limited, Publishers, Star of Mysore & Mysuru Mithra, 15-C, Industrial ‘A’ Layout, Bannimantap, Mysuru-570015. Phone no. – 0821 249 6520

To advertise on Star of Mysore, email us at

Online Edition: [email protected]
Print Editon: [email protected]
For News/Press Release: [email protected]