A fter the briefing, everyone hurried to prepare for the mission. Nachiketa, dressed in a green G-suit over his blue overalls, meticulously adjusted his gear in the squadron’s dressing room. His green jacket shielded him from the chill, and his standard-issue pistol was checked and securely holstered. The pouches on his G-suit held essential manuals, navigation maps and communication frequencies.

The mission briefing was thorough. Each pilot knew their role, the direction of attack, altitude and initial point. Communication was to be restricted to avoid enemy interception. The sequence was precise: Boxer-1 flown by Flight Lieutenant Anupam Banerjee and Boxer-2 by Flight Lieutenant Bhupendra Khatana would first deploy bombs, followed by Hyena-1 by Squadron Leader Ashwini Madokhot and Hyen

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