New Delhi: Air Vice Marshal Arvind Dalaya (retd), the first commanding officer of the Indian Air Force’s 114 Helicopter Unit (HU) in Leh, died on Friday at the age of 91.
The 114 HU, also known as the ‘Siachen Pioneers’, is IAF’s first permanent chopper unit to be posted in Leh.
Anchit Gupta, an investor with a passion for IAF history, shared that Dalaya “had an astonishing career replete with many firsts for the IAF”.
“His legacy is entwined with the evolution of the IAF’s helicopter fleet and their early deployment in the Ladakh sector in the early ’60s. He is one of the pioneers of the helicopter fleet,” Gupta told.
His colleague Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retired) said, “He (Dalaya) set up the 114 HU in Leh. He was a trailblazer. He set up all the Standard Operating Procedures for the Chetak helicopter operations in Leh. Setting up a new unit, especially in a place like Leh, reflects the calibre and professionalism of the officer.”
