Cecil Chaudhry
| Cecil Chaudhry | |
|---|---|
| Born |
27 August 1941 Dalwal, Punjab, British India, now Pakistan |
| Died | 13 April 2012 (aged 70) Lahore, Pakistan |
| Allegiance |
 Pakistan
|
| Service/branch |
 Pakistan Air Force
|
| Years of service | 1958–1986 |
| Rank |
 Group Captain (Colonel) |
| Unit | No. 5 Squadron Fighting Falcons |
| Commands held |
Masroor Air Force Base Sargodha Air Force Base No. 32 Fighter Ground Attack Wing No. 38 Multi-Role Wing Combat Commander's School |
| Battles/wars |
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Operation Eagle Strike Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Operation Chengiz Khan |
| Awards |
Sitara-e-Jurat (1965) Tamgha-i-Jurat (1971) |
| Other work | Educationist |
Group Captain Cecil Chaudhry (27 August 1941 – 13 April 2012) was a Pakistani academic, human rights activist, and veteran fighter pilot. As a Flight Lieutenant, he fought in the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 and later, as a Squadron Leader, in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. During the 1965 war, Chaudhry and three other pilots, under the leadership of Wing Commander Anwar Shamim, attacked the Amritsar Radar Station in a difficult operation. He was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat (Star of Courage) for his actions during that mission.
Chaudhry was born on 27 August 1941 to the only Christian (Roman Catholic) family of the village Dalwal, located in the Salt Range. His father, Elmer Chaudhry, hailing from East Punjab and then based in Lahore, was chief photographer with The Times, Lahore, as well as a physics and mathematics teacher at St. Anthony's High School. Chaudhry was schooled at St. Anthony's, before pursuing higher studies at the Forman Christian College, Lahore where he received his B.S. in physics.
As an Air Scout, he was awarded his glider pilot’s wings in 1956 by the then President of Pakistan, Iskander Mirza, at a ceremony in Karachi. He was admitted into the Pakistan Air Force Academy on 12 March 1958 and was enrolled in the engineering program. In 1960, he received his double B.Sc. in Aeronautics and mechanical engineering along with becoming an ace fighter pilot upon graduating from the PAF Academy.
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