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"A great warrior, a fine pilot, and a genuine good Samaritan, that was Denzil Keelor." - Air Marshal Ajit Bhavnani, former Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force
"Denzil the human being was the real hero, not just Denzil the ace fighter pilot." - Air Chief Marshal SP 'Shashi' Tyagi, former Chief of the Indian Air Force
On August 28, 2024, India lost a national hero, Air Marshal Denzil Keelor. He was 90. Keelor was buried at Delhi's Brar Square, along with other Indian bravehearts, which include his brother Wing Commander Trevor Keelor, who passed away in 2002.
Of course, the Keelor brothers fully deserve to be part of the Indian Air Force folklore. On September 3, 1965, Trevor became the first Indian pilot to shoot down a Pakistani Sabre fighter jet in the early days of the India-Pakistan War. On September 19, his elder brother Denzil brought down another Pakistani Sabre. Both shot to instant fame, as a grateful nation elevated them to iconic status, for life.
Denzil & Trevor, The 'Sabre Killers'
Denzil Keelor was born on December 7, 1933 in Lucknow. Trevor was exactly a year younger, born on December 8, 1934. Their mother was Isabel, and their dad, Charles, who was headmaster at St. Francis' College. The brothers did much of their schooling there. Destined to do a lot together, both went on to study at Lucknow's prestigious La Martiniere College. Both had a passion for flying, and joined the Indian Air Force (IAF) together. Both became fighter pilots, both were Squadron Leaders flying Gnats in 1965. And as both shot down a Sabre each, they were famously called India's 'Sabre Killers'. And of course, both were awarded Vir Chakras.
But there was more to Denzil Keelor than that one blaze of glory, when an F-86 Sabre lined up in his gunsight in the skies over Sialkot, Pakistan, and he fatefully pulled the trigger to bring it down. Why did Air Marshal Bhavnani call him a good Samaritan? Why did Shashi Tyagi tell me to look beyond his exploits in the air?