Sachin Tendulkar, honorary Indian Air Force Group Captain, praises Operation Safed Sagar: ‘Made me more grateful’

In Operation Safed Sagar, actor Jimmy Shergill plays the role of Air Chief Marshal BS "Tony" Dhanoa. Sachin Tendulkar had met him years ago.

Netflix’s Operation Safed Sagar has been one of the best-received Indian shows in recent years. The war drama focuses on the Indian Air Force’s eponymous operation during the Kargil War, which turned the tide of the conflict in India’s favour. Indian cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar has now seen the show and penned a note to sing its praises. Sachin, who is an honorary Air India Force Group Captain, also shared a picture with Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, whom he met many years ago.

What Sachin wrote

Sachin Tendulkar shared a picture from the time he met Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa.

Taking to his X account on Tuesday, Sachin wrote, “Dear @IAF_MCC, Just finished watching Operation Safed Sagar. It made me think about how different life is for the people who are out there, carrying the pressure and uncertainty, while the rest of us are able to sleep peacefully and carry on with our everyday lives.”

‘The courage is extraordinary’

The courage is extraordinary. So is the discipline and mental strength behind it.

I feel fortunate to be associated with the IAF and to have an understanding of the values that define it. Watching this story only made me more grateful.

Thank you for everything you do for us. Jai Hind!"

BS Dhanoa, the then-Wing Commander, commanded the No. 17 Squadron ("Golden Arrows") flying MiG-21s during Operation Safed Sagar. He is now a retired Indian Air Force (IAF) general who served as the Chief of the Air Staff from December 2016 to September 2019. Actor Jimmy Shergill plays him on the Netflix show.

About Operation Safed Sagar

Directed by Oni Sen and created by Kushal Srivastava and Abhijeet Singh Parmar, Operation Safed Sagar stars Siddharth, Jimmy Shergill, Abhay Verma, Dia Mirza, Prajakta Koli, Mihir Ahuja, Taaruk Raina, Arnav Bhasin and Amrita Bagchi, among others.

Operation Safed Sagar follows the journey of some of the Indian Air Force's youngest officers during the Kargil War. The series centres on the Golden Arrows Squadron, exploring the immense courage, pressure, and sacrifice involved in carrying out missions at extreme altitudes. Beyond the aerial missions, however, the story also delves into the human experiences behind the operation. One of the highlights of the series is its impressive aerial action, with the much-famed MiG-21 playing a key role. The aircraft was flown by the Golden Arrows squadron during the Kargil War.