Cadets honor Indian American hero in Pentagon ceremony

Cadet 3rd Class Anoushka Rishi, far right, and six fellow U.S. Air Force Academy cadets stand before a painting of actor and World War II veteran U.S. Army Air Corps Sgt. Sabu Dastagir at the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia, Nov. 12, 2024. The other cadets, from left, are Cadet 3rd Class Aditya Nair, Cadet 3rd Class Grace Kurian, Cadet 3rd Class Sweta Chandra Mohan, and Cadets 4th Class Animesh Bijawat and Reva Kalbhor. Also pictured is Cadet Group 1 Commander Col. Aarti Puri and Dr. Ravi Chaudhary, Class of 1993, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for energy, installations and environment. (Courtesy photo provided by Cadet 3rd Class Anoushka Rishi)

By Randy Roughton
U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The U.S. Air Force Art Program Collection unveiled the portrait of a famous Indian American actor turned World War II Airman. The Air Force unveiled artist June Xu’s painting of U.S. Army Air Corps Sgt. Sabu Dastagir during a Nov. 12 ceremony in the Pentagon’s World War II hallway. Seven United States Air Force Academy cadets of South Asian heritage were present during the event and spoke of the event’s significance.

Dastagir starred in movies during the 1930s and 1940s, including Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” and “The Thief of Baghdad.” He became an American citizen in 1944 and enlisted in the Army Air Corps. During World War II, Dastagir was a tail gunner with the 307th Bomb Group in the Pacific theater. He flew dozens of combat missions and was awarded five Air Medals and the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor. Dastagir died in 1963 at the age of 40.

‘Bravery knows no borders’

Cadet 3rd Class Anoushka Rishi, a Systems Engineering major with a focus on Human Factors, drew thunderous applause from the attendees during her inspiring address.

“Sgt. Sabu Dastagir was a man who embodied great courage and sacrifice in his service to our country,” Rishi said. “His service on B-24 Liberator bombers after his beginnings in India reminds us that bravery knows no borders.”

Assistant of the Air Force for Energy, Installations and Environment Honorable Dr. Ravi Chaudhary, June Xu, artist, and Under Secretary of the Air Force Melissa Dalton unveil a painting of actor and World War II veteran Sgt. Sabu Dastagir at the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., Nov. 12, 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Eric Dietrich)

A story worth telling: Dastagir’s legacy

Under Secretary of the Air Force Melissa Dalton and Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations and Environment Dr. Ravi Chaudhary led the ceremony. Chaudhary, Class of 1993, flew in the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, Raytheon T-1 Jayhawk and Cessna T-37 Tweet during his 21-year Air Force career and was a flight test engineer in other airframes. As a systems engineer, Chaudhary also ensured the safety of NASA astronauts in supporting International Space Station protection activities. In 2023, Chaudhary wrote an article about Dastagir for Air Force News Service. He recalls feeling a connection and pride to Dastagir’s story but also sadness that it remained untold for so long.

The power of seeing yourself in history

“My courage to join the military would have been much stronger if I had seen myself in the stories of service members flying the aircraft I spent my life reading about,” Chaudhary said. “I set out on a mission to ensure the story of Sgt. Dastagir was told.

“These stories aren’t about the past; they are about the future. The stories are about you. I am thankful that we can share with our next generation a more fulsome understanding of our heritage, values, and heroes to give us strength as we serve.”

Finding a South Asian community at the Academy

Before Rishi came to the Academy from her high school in New York, she said she knew little of South Asian representation in the U.S. military. She refers to it as “an empty space where my heritage was meant to be.” Through her contact with the Academy’s South Asian community and cadets of other heritage, she felt empowered to share her culture with others. In January, she and other cadets plan to start the new Diversity of South Asia Club. After graduation, Rishi hopes to enter the pilot career field herself.

The unveiling event served as a reminder that the military’s strength is not just in its assets but also in its diversity and unity, Rishi said.

“A professor of mine who served as a pilot once told my class to ‘take the time to look at our shadow,’ and I think about that a lot,” she said. “I want to connect that sentiment to the concept of heritage. While it may be behind us and we sometimes forget that it is there, it is with us in every step of our journey.”