Vir Chakra (VrC)

Flight Lieutenant Sharad chandra Naresh Deshpande was serving on the instructional staff of the jet bomber conversion unit as a navigation instructor when hostilities broke out between India and Pakistan. He volunteered for operational duties and carried out seven operational bombing missions over enemy territory. Flight Lieutenant Deshpande was the navigator/ bomb-aimer of the leading aircraft and carried out successful missions in spite of enemy opposition and in total disregard of his own safety. During these bombing operations, he displayed courage, great professional skill and devotion to duty of a high order in the best traditions of the Air Force.