Denzil Keelor

Air Marshal Denzil Keelor PVSM, KC, AVSM, VrC (7 December 1933 – 28 August 2024) was an air officer of the Indian Air Force and a hero of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. He had a younger brother Trevor, who was also honoured for his service in the Indian Air Force. The brothers were both awarded the Vir Chakra for shooting down Pakistan Air Force Sabres.

Military career Keelor was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on 6 November 1954. He scored a kill during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

Vir Chakra Denzil Keelor's first award was the Vir Chakra in 1965. The citation for the Vir Chakra reads as follows:

Keelor took command of the 4 Squadron in early January 1973. The squadron was based out of Tezpur Air Force Station. In 1977, he took over as the Commandant of the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE), the premier training establishment of the Indian Air Force which trains the best fighter pilots in aerial combat.

Kirti Chakra The citation for the Kirti Chakra reads as follows:

He retired in 1991. Following his retirement he worked as the president of the YMCA for ten years. He was the chairman of Special Olympics Bharat.

Awards and decorations