The Making of a Pilot NDA to the Air Force Academy

 

Shubhanshu joined NDA in Pune in 2003 as part of the 111th course. Over the next three years, he was shaped by the Academy’s strict regimen—a daily schedule that blended academics, drill, and physical training in equal measure. While he excelled in leadership tasks, it was in the classroom that he set himself apart. He graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science, laying the academic foundation for the aerospace challenges ahead.

 

Next came the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, near Hyderabad, where he underwent advanced flying training. There, under the watchful eyes of seasoned instructors, he learned the art of precision flying, aerial tactics, and mission planning. It was also here that he first experienced the joy—and terror—of supersonic flight.

 

“Once you’re in the cockpit, nothing else matters,” he would later recall. “It’s just you, the machine, and the sky.”

In June 2006, he was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force, donning the uniform with a solemn pride that reflected the years of sacrifice it had taken to earn it.

 

Earning His Wings

Over the next decade, Shubhanshu logged more than 2,000 hours across an astonishing array of aircraft: the Sukhoi Su-30MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier, and An-32. Each platform brought its own challenges—unique handling characteristics, mission profiles, and operational hazards.

 

But Shubhanshu relished every opportunity to push the envelope. In 2011, he qualified as an experimental test pilot—a role that placed him among the Air Force’s most elite cadre. In this capacity, he tested upgraded avionics, weapons systems, and flight control technologies, helping ensure that India’s air assets remained cutting-edge.

 

He also developed a reputation for meticulous preparation and unflappable composure under pressure. As one squadron mate observed: “He was the sort of pilot you wanted flying your wing when things went wrong.”