KC citation: "Sqn Ldr Vishwanath Balakrishna Sawardekar had been attached to a fighter recce SQN [at Baghdogra] for operational duties during the Sept-1965 ops. On 10 Sept 1965, he along with his co-pilot [Sqn Ldr M J Marston], was about to take off on a sortie in a jet trainer [Vampire] when the airfield was suddenly attacked by four Pakistani aircraft as a result of which the trainer aircraft caught fire. Before they could abandon the burning aircraft, the co-pilot's clothes caught fire; he crawled away from the aircraft but collapsed after removing the top of his burning overall. Sqn Ldr Sawardekar received facial injuries. At this stage, the ammunition in the aircraft caught fire and began to explode. Without regard for his own safety, Sqn Ldr Sawardekar [jumped out of the burning aircraft to rescue his co-pilot inspite of his own injuries and exploding ammunition], ripped off the remnants of the co-pilot's overall which was still burning and cut away his burning shoes and socks. He then wrapped his own overall around the co-pilot's body and smothered the flames. He saved the life of his comrade. Sqn Ldr Vishwanath Sawardekar displayed exemplary courage and a spirit of comradeship and devotion to duty which are in the best traditions of the Air Force."
Com. 10 Oct 1953, Sqn Ldr Sawardekar participated in 1961 Operation Vijay. During the 1971 war, he was CO of 29 SQN ["Scorpios"] which shot down three Pak F-104 Starfighters and one MiG-19. He was awarded a AVSM: "Wg Cdr Sawardekar has served with several fighter and fighter-bomber SQNs of the IAF. He is a qualified Flying Instructor. Wg Cdr Sawardekar is presently in command of a supersonic fighter SQN. During the Indo-Pak conflict of Dec-1971, he had wide responsibilities as his SQN was operating in detachments at three separate locations. He ensured that all the tasks, including fighter escorts and sweep missions were undertaken successfully. He himself, though heavily burdened with supervision of his three detachments, was always at the forefront of operational missions undertaken by his aircraft. On 16 Dec 1971, he was on a mission to escort other aircraft which were to strike at the enemy. One of the aircraft being escorted was hit by enemy ground fire and the canopy was shattered, the pilot being severely injured. Wg Cdr Sawardekar joined the crippled aircraft and escorted it for a distance of 70 nautical miles, much of it over enemy territory, back to its base, keeping up the morale of the injured pilot and guiding him back home. He thus saved the pilot and the valuable aircraft. Throughout, Wg Cdr Vishwanath Balakrishna Sawardekar has thus rendered distinguished service of a high order."
He died when his MiG-21FL crashed following a bird hit over Hindon on 04 Apr 1972. When the vulture hit, he was at alt. 5,000 feet and could have easily bailed out. But below was a residential colony. Turning away, even as the aircraft steadily dropped height, his last chance to eject came when he was over the IAF colony. He crossed its periphery wall at height of 50 feet ... going down in the true traditions of the IAF: disregarding his own peril, but without causing collateral damage. Widow Asha returned to Goa with her two toddler daughters and lived at Miramar, Panjim. She plunged into social work and clocked many Goan 'firsts' in the field. Under the Central Government's Development of Women & Children in Rural Areas programme, through the Provedoria, she pioneered women empowerment groups, setting up over 500 such 15-member groups within a period of 5/6 years, across Goa. Much before, she had started the Goa branch of the All India Women's Conference. She then quietly began assisting fellow-humans, primarily slum women and children, with medical care and supplementary nourishment. In 1979, she launched a Trust, funded entirely on private donations. She conducted 6-month courses in tailoring, cooking, home nursing, etc. and, brick by another patient brick, built a twin institution: a medical recovery home and a home for the elderly, both for women. "Sanjeevan" (better life) at Nageshi-Ponda is the soft-spoken widow's ensign to an IAF hero... Both daughters are professionals and married, the elder is abroad and the younger, an architect, lives in Margao. Wg Cdr Sawardekar hailed from the well-known family whose storeyed homestead with two courtyards still stands in the native village. His brother Prof R B Sawardekar taught Physics at the National Defence Academy-Pune, whose son is Lt Col Nitin Sawardekar, a serving officer. Wg Cdr Sawardekar's cousin is Col M B Sawardekar. From Sanvordem.
Source: Pages 187-190
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