'Knew far too little about IAF's role': Anand Mahindra hails Kargil war drama 'Operation Safed Sagar'

Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra has praised Netflix's Operation Safed Sagar, saying the Kargil War drama helped him understand the Indian Air Force's role in the 1999 conflict better.

"I binge-watched Operation Safed Sagar over the weekend," Mahindra said in a post on Monday. "And I want to say thank you to everyone who had a hand in making this series & to Netflix for commissioning it."

Mahindra said the series moved him despite criticism from some reviewers over its CGI and performances.

"More importantly, I was moved and inspired by the story & the emotions underlying it," he said.

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‘WE GREW UP ON HOLLYWOOD WAR MOVIES’

Mahindra said he wished there had been more Indian films documenting the armed forces' role in past conflicts when he was growing up.

"Because, even though I knew a great amount about the courage of soldiers like Vikram Batra and the role of the Bofors gun in Kargil, I confess I knew far too little about the critical role played by the Indian Air Force," he said.

He contrasted this with Hollywood war films, which he said helped build American pride and self-belief.

"Instead, we grew up on a diet of Hollywood war movies which, despite often taking enormous liberties with historical accuracy, helped build American pride & self-belief while we watched as envious bystanders."

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IAF'S 'DENIAL-DRIVEN INNOVATION'

Mahindra also highlighted what he described as the ingenuity of IAF personnel during Operation Safed Sagar.

The IAF acquired handheld GPS receivers, installed them in MiG aircraft and used them to calculate release points for conventional "dumb" bombs, he said.

"They conducted hurried trials, initially got disappointing results, refined the technique within a handful of sorties & took it into combat almost immediately," Mahindra said.

He also pointed to the use of Mirage 2000 aircraft, Israeli Litening laser-designation pods and Paveway II guidance kits.

When a required component could not be obtained from abroad because of sanctions imposed after India's 1998 nuclear tests, IAF technicians developed a solution themselves, he said.

"IAF technicians displayed what I call ‘denial-driven innovation’ & engineered the solution themselves!" Mahindra said.

'HUMANS BEHIND THE MACHINES'

Mahindra said the series also offered a lesson at a time when technology and artificial intelligence are rapidly advancing.

"So at a time when we are debating whether human intelligence will increasingly become a slave to machine intelligence, it’s incredibly valuable to be reminded that even in battle, where decisions are made in seconds & lives depend upon them, it’s ultimately the humans behind the machines who make the difference," he said.

He urged people to watch the series. "I hope as many people as possible watch this series," Mahindra said.

He added that telling the stories of soldiers and remembering their sacrifices was important.

"Because when the men and women of our armed forces know that we know their stories & remember their sacrifices, they also know that their courage will not be forgotten."

"The heroes of Operation Safed Sagar are my #MondayMotivation," he said, adding a "special salute to Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja."

Operation Safed Sagar

Operation Safed Sagar was the code name for the IAF's high-altitude combat mission during the 1999 Kargil War.

The conflict began in May 1999 and marked the first large-scale use of air power in Jammu and Kashmir since 1971. The IAF supported the Indian Army in flushing out regular and irregular Pakistani troops from high-altitude positions along the Line of Control.

The operation has now been adapted into a six-episode Hindi-language historical war drama on Netflix.

Directed by Oni Sen, the series premiered globally on August 7.