The mission to find Nachiketa

On the morning of 27 May 1999, Ahuja was flying a photo-reconnaissance mission over the Batalik sector when Flight Lieutenant K. Nachiketa's MiG-27 was hit by a Pakistani Stinger missile and went down near Muntho Dhalo. Ahuja, alongside wingman P.G. Reddy, flew toward the area to locate Nachiketa and guide a rescue helicopter to his position — a mission that meant lingering over hostile territory that had just proven it could shoot down Indian aircraft.

Shot down, captured, and killed

Ahuja's own MiG-21 — tail number C1539 — was hit by a Pakistani shoulder-fired Stinger missile shortly after. He ejected and parachuted down inside Pakistani-held territory, fracturing his knee on landing but alive. Pakistani ground forces reached him soon after. When his body was returned to India the next day, a post-mortem at the Army hospital found two gunshot wounds — to the head and chest — in addition to the landing injury. India's official position, based on that post-mortem, is that Ahuja survived the ejection and was shot after capture; Pakistan has disputed this account.

Home, and a nation's tribute

Ahuja's body was handed over to Indian authorities on 28 May 1999 and flown home for a ceremonial repatriation — the first Indian Air Force officer killed in the Kargil War. On 15 August 1999, India's Independence Day, he was posthumously awarded the Vir Chakra for the search mission that led to Flight Lieutenant Nachiketa's eventual safe return. Nachiketa was released by Pakistan and repatriated alive eight days after Ahuja's death.