On Sunday, 1 February 2026, the Indian Air Force (IAF) executed a perilous life-saving mission, airlifting an 85-year-old paralysed woman named Dharmi from the snow-bound village of Dhanderwari in Himachal Pradesh.
The emergency evacuation, carried out at an altitude of 9,000 feet, was necessitated after heavy snowfall blocked all road access to the remote Dodra Kwar region. Despite near-zero visibility and active snowfall, an IAF Cheetah helicopter successfully transported the patient to PGIMER Chandigarh for critical treatment.
Latest reports from the hospital confirm that the woman reached in time and is currently in stable condition, marking yet another successful humanitarian operation by the IAF in the treacherous Himalayan terrain.
Battling the Himalayan Winter
The rescue took place in the Dhanderwari region of Himachal Pradesh, which has been reeling under a severe spell of snowfall and rain since late January. Local road connectivity to the village was completely severed following a significant drop in temperature, with some areas reporting up to 5 cm of fresh snow.
As Dharmi’s health began to deteriorate rapidly due to a week-long paralysis, her family, led by her son Jiya Sen, reached out to the local Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) on 31 January.
Recognising that road transit to Shimla was no longer possible due to snow-blocked passes, the state government coordinated with the IAF to deploy its high-performance Cheetah helicopters, specifically suited for such high-altitude, all-weather operations.
Mission Against All Odds
The operational challenges of the mission were immense, with persistent snowfall and poor visibility threatening the flight path throughout the journey. According to an official IAF statement on X, “The life-saving mission was completed in snowfall and low visibility.
The woman is stable after receiving timely medical assistance.” A video shared by the IAF’s Media Co-ordination Centre showcases the precision and empathy of the personnel as they carried the patient on a stretcher across a snow-shrouded helipad into the helicopter.
While the patient was originally scheduled to be taken to IGMC Shimla, adverse weather prevented a safe landing there, forcing the crew to divert directly to Chandigarh where she was admitted to PGIMER for immediate care.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
At The Logical Indian, we believe that the unwavering resolve shown by the Indian Air Force is a testament to the spirit of service that defines our armed forces. While our soldiers are often lauded for their bravery on the borders, their role as a lifeline for citizens in the remotest corners of the country is equally heroic.
This mission highlights the critical importance of robust disaster management and the need for seamless coordination between local administrations and central forces.
As we celebrate Dharmi’s rescue, we must also advocate for better infrastructure in hill regions to ensure that medical emergencies do not always require a helicopter. Every citizen, regardless of their location, deserves the security of knowing that help is never out of reach.
