Chama Vinod Kumar Joined NDA from Sainik School Korkunda. Lean and a fit guy, we would always remember Chama Vinod Kumar as a very gentle soul, a crafty football player and a passionate Horse Rider.

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Chama Vinod Kumar joined the NDA from Sainik School, Korkunda. He had a menacing dirty look, with deep-set eyes, which had juniors shivering, and the seniors look away. Excellent basketballer and a handy medium pacer in Bn Cricket team. Lean and a fit guy, we would always remember Chama Vinod Kumar as a very gentle soul, a crafty football player and a passionate horse-rider.
 
Naresh Kumar Sharma and Chama boxed together during novices, and this was their debut in the boxing ring since they never had boxing as a sport in their school. Though both had scripted the bout as per their, mutually agreed terms- doing more of shadowboxing with a light jab here and there. But the grand plan went awry when the PTO and some Ustaads shouted from outside pushing them to have a close fight. They had a close bout which NK won, but Chama’s face during the boxing still remains fresh in NK’s memory. Since there was no protective gear in those times, both Chama and NK were badly bruised, red and blue!
 
All Air Force cadets would remember the glider accident at NDA. Chama was the trainee pilot with then Flt Lt SK Lal. They took off with the spoilers out, and as a result, excessive drag caused the glider to undershoot. They almost made it to the strip, but the tail skid caught the fence and the glider overturned. Sedbergh Glider was a total write off, the instructor, Flt Lt Lal, had minor injuries and Chama escaped unhurt. 

After commissioning Chama was inducted into the Fighter Stream of the IAF. Chama followed the Standard training route of flying Hunters at OCU, Kalaikunda & after that, MiG-21 FL at Tezpur before joining 24 Sqn (Hawks) at AMBALA. He flew the MiG 21 Type 96 with Hawks. Late S Sridhar of B Squadron 56NDA was also in the same unit. Mukesh Sharan Foxtrot 56 and Battish Hunter 56 were in the adjoining base, Chandigarh. They remember Chama driving down to Chandigarh often on his newly bought Yezdi Bike from CSD AMBALA. Impressed with Sharan’s proud possession of his latest music system, one day Chama landed up in Chandigarh to buy an equally good music system for his bachelor pad in the double-decker Mess at Air Force Station Ambala. In the company of Sharan and Battish, Chama bought the top of the line, latest Phillips music system from, Deepak Radios, Sector 17. Five big cartons had to be brought to the Mess in two auto-rickshaws. Indeed having bought a new bike and then the latest music System - Chama was the hot favourite of my many young officers and peers.
 
Chama was progressing well with his flying training to be operational on the MiG-21. It was a standard training sortie that day. Chama was up in the air in a MiG-21, for a two aircraft training mission. Sadly, this was not his day. After the glider crash at the NDA, this was his second time. Unfortunately, his luck did not hold this time. He was in a Tail Chase following his leader Fight Lt. AJS Sandhu. After a shallow Wing Over, Sandhu went into a Loop. This manoeuvre was to be Chama’s last. He never recovered from the dive. His MiG-21 bore a hole into the ground with the afterburner ON. The ground impact was very heavy, and the end of dear Vinod Chama was instantaneous. It was a sad day - a noble soul had flown away for good. May God bless his soul.

Our dear Chama Vinod Kumar would always be remembered as a very cool and compassionate person. His smile would never be forgotten, and his pleasant mannerism was truly infectious.

VINOD Kumar Chama — our dear friend. We are sure to meet again!

🙏May his soul rest in peace🙏