Nine years since his capture and release, the first Indian prisoner of war (POW) in the Kargil conflict Kambampati Nachiketa is set to fly mid-air refuellers, a small consolation from being kept away from fighter aircraft owing to an injury caused by ‘physical hardships’ during captivity.“I am being transferred to Air Force Station Agra next month. Now I’ll be flying IL-78 air-to-air refuellers,” Nachiketa, captured on May 27, 1999 after his MiG-27 suffered a flame-out while destroying enemy positions in the Batalik sub-sector, said.On that fateful day, Nachiketa, then a flight lieutenant, took off in a ‘Hayena’ formation led by Sqn Ldr A Mandhokot to bomb enemy positions with 80 mm canons.Recalling the details, the Vayu Sena Medal awardee said despite initial difficulties, the target was identified and he fired 40 rockets in one salvo. Having acquired the target, he carried out a second attack, this time with 30 mm guns.“I then eased out of the dive, but felt a backward jerk due to sudden deceleration. The speed dropped to 500 kmph and realised the engine had flamed out. I immediately jettisoned the rocket pods and attempted a relight. Informing my leader Sqn Ldr Mandhokot, I further lowerd the altitude to maintain the speed which had falled to 450 kmph,” he said.With hills surrounding the area and no sign of the engine restarting, Nachiketa realised that eviction was inevitible and after calling to his leader ‘Mando, Nachi ejecting,’ had pulled the ejection handle.
