DID JESUS ACTUALLY RISE FROM THE DEAD?

THE RESURRECTION

Did Jesus Rise From the Dead?

We all wonder what will happen to us after we die. When a loved one dies, we long to see him or her again after our turn comes. Will we have a glorious reunion with those we love or is death the end of all consciousness?

Jesus taught that life does not end after our bodies die. He made this startling claim: “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again.” According to the eye-witnesses closest to him, Jesus then demonstrated his power over death by rising from the dead after being crucified and buried for three days. It is this belief that has given hope to Christians for nearly 2000 years.

But some people have no hope of life after death. The atheistic philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote, “I believe that when I die I shall rot, and nothing of my own ego will survive.” Russell obviously didn’t believe Jesus’ words.

Jesus’ followers wrote that he appeared alive to them after his crucifixion and burial. They claim not only to have seen him but also to have eaten with him, touched him, and spent 40 days with him.

So could this have been simply a story that grew over time, or is it based upon solid evidence? The answer to this question is foundational to Christianity. For if Jesus did rise from the dead, it would validate everything he said about himself, about the meaning of life, and about our destiny after death.

If Jesus did rise from the dead then he alone would have the answers to what life is about and what is facing us after we die. On the other hand, if the resurrection account of Jesus is not true, then Christianity would be founded upon a lie. Theologian R. C. Sproul puts it this way:

The claim of resurrection is vital to Christianity. If Christ has been raised from the dead by God, then He has the credentials and certification that no other religious leader possesses.

All other religious leaders are dead, but, according to Christianity, Christ is alive. Many skeptics have attempted to disprove the resurrection. Josh McDowell was one such skeptic who spent more than seven hundred hours researching the evidence for the resurrection. McDowell stated this regarding the importance of the resurrection:

I have come to the conclusion that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the most wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted upon the minds of men, OR it is the most fantastic fact of history. McDowell later wrote his classic work, The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict, documenting what he discovered.

So, is Jesus’ resurrection a fantastic fact or a vicious myth? To find out, we need to look at the evidence of history and draw our own conclusions. Let’s see what skeptics who investigated the resurrection discovered for themselves.

Jesus Predicts His Own Death and Resurrection

Seven hundred years before Christ, the prophet Isaiah had written about a future Messiah, who would suffer and die for our sins, but later be restored to life. Echoing the prophecy in Isaiah 53, Jesus claimed that he was the Messiah who would be betrayed, arrested, condemned and killed. But then three days later he would come back to life. (See Mark 10:33). Everything Jesus taught and claimed depended on his resurrection from the dead. If Jesus didn’t rise as he promised, his message of forgiveness and hope for eternal life would be meaningless. Jesus was putting his words to the ultimate test of truth.

Bible scholar Wilbur Smith explains, “When he said He would rise again from the dead, the third day after He was crucified, He said something that only a fool would dare say if He expected the devotion of any disciples – unless He was sure He was going to rise.”

A Horrific Death And Then . . . ?

Exactly as Jesus predicted, eyewitnesses report he was betrayed by one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot. Then in a mock trial under the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, he was condemned and crucified on a wooden cross.

Jesus suffered on the cross for approximately six hours. Then, at 3:00 in the afternoon Jesus cried out, “It is finished” and died. Suddenly the sky went dark and an earthquake shook the land.

Pilate wanted to verify that Jesus was dead before allowing his crucified body to be buried. So a Roman guard thrust a spear into Jesus’ side. The mixture of blood and water that flowed out, according to eye-witnesses, was a clear indication that Jesus was dead. Once his death was certified, Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross, tightly wrapped in linen and buried in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb. Roman guards then sealed the tomb with a large stone and were under strict orders to watch the tomb 24 hours a day.

Jesus’ disciples were so utterly devastated by his death on the cross that they fled for their lives, fearing they too would be captured and killed. But then something happened.

According to a New York Times article:

“Shortly after Jesus was executed, his followers were suddenly galvanized from a baffled and cowering group into people whose message about a living Jesus and a coming kingdom, preached at the risk of their lives, eventually changed an empire. Something happened … But exactly what?

Morison Examines the Evidence

Morison wanted to know what actually happened that changed Jesus’ followers and started a movement that has made such a profound impact on our world. He realized there were five possible explanations:

1.     Jesus didn’t really die on the cross.

2.     Jesus’ body was stolen.

3.     The disciples were hallucinating.

4.     The account is legendary.

5.     It really happened.

Morison began examining the facts patiently and impartially to see where they would lead him.

1. Was Jesus Dead?

Morison first wanted verification that Jesus was really dead when placed in the tomb. He learned that Jesus’ death was considered factual for nearly 1800 years. Then about 200 years ago, a few skeptics postulated that Jesus didn’t die on the cross, but merely lost consciousness, and was revived by the cool, damp air of the tomb. This became known as the “swoon theory.”

Morison wondered if Jesus could have survived the cross. He researched both Jewish and Roman contemporary history and discovered the following facts supporting Jesus’ death:

-All the accounts affirm he died.

-Pilate verified he died.

-During the lifetime of the eyewitnesses no one disputes his death.

-Secular and contemporary historians, (Lucian, Josephus and Tacitus cite his  death as factual.

Morison became convinced that Jesus was truly dead, a fact almost universally accepted as true by trusted scholars and historians. Morison concludes, “That Jesus Christ died on the cross, in the full physical sense of the term…seems to me to be one of the certainties of history.”

2. Was Jesus’ body stolen?

Morison wondered if the disciples faked the resurrection story by stealing Jesus’ body, and then claiming he was alive. That might be plausible if the tomb was in an obscure area where no one would see them.

However, the tomb belonged to a well-known member of the Sanhedrin Council, Joseph of Arimathea. Since Joseph’s tomb was at a well-known location and easily identifiable, any thoughts of Jesus being “lost in the graveyard” would need to be dismissed.

Not only was the location well known, but the Romans had assigned guards to watch the tomb 24 hours a day. This was a trained guard unit comprised of four to 16 soldiers. Josh McDowell notes, “The Roman Guard unit was committed to discipline and they feared failure in any way.” It would have been impossible for anyone to have slipped by the guards unnoticed and then move the stone. Yet the stone was rolled away, making it possible for eyewitnesses to enter the tomb. And when they did, the body of Jesus was missing.

If Jesus’ body was anywhere to be found, his enemies would have quickly exposed the resurrection as a fraud. Tom Anderson, former president of the California Trial Lawyers Association, summarizes the strength of this argument:

“With an event so well publicized, don’t you think that it’s reasonable that one historian, one eye witness, one antagonist would record for all time that he had seen Christ’s body? … The silence of history is deafening when it comes to the testimony against the resurrection.”

So, with no body of evidence, and with a known tomb clearly empty, Morison accepted that Jesus’ body had somehow disappeared from the tomb.

3. Were the Disciples Hallucinating?

Morison wondered if the disciples might have been so emotionally distraught that they hallucinated and imagined Jesus’ resurrection. Psychologist Gary Collins, former president of the American Association of Christian Counselors, explains that, “Hallucinations are individual occurrences. By their very nature, only one person can see a given hallucination at a time. They certainly aren’t something which can be seen by a group of people.”

Hallucination is not even a remote possibility, according to psychologist Thomas J. Thorburn. “It is absolutely inconceivable that … five hundred persons, of average soundness of mind … should experience all kinds of sensuous impressions – visual, auditory, tactual – and that all these … experiences should rest entirely upon … hallucination.” The hallucination theory, then, appears to be another dead end. What else could explain away the resurrection?

4. Is it just a Legend?

Some unconvinced skeptics attribute the resurrection story to a legend that began with one or more persons lying or thinking they saw the resurrected Jesus. Over time, the legend would have grown and been embellished as it was passed on. But there are three major problems with that theory.

Legends simply don’t develop while multiple eyewitnesses are alive to refute them. One historian of ancient Rome and Greece, A. N. Sherwin-White, argued that the resurrection news spread too soon and too quickly for it to have been a legend.  Even skeptical scholars admit that Christian hymns and creeds were recited in early churches within two to three years of Jesus’ crucifixion.

Legends develop by oral tradition and are not supported with contemporary historical documents. Yet the Gospels were written within three decades of the resurrection.

The legend theory doesn’t adequately explain either the empty tomb or the fervent conviction of the apostles that Jesus was alive.

Morison’s original assumption that the resurrection account was mythical or legendary didn’t coincide with the facts.

5. Did the resurrection really happen?

Having eliminated the main arguments against Jesus’ resurrection due to their inconsistency with the facts, Morison began asking himself, “did it really happen?” Instead of looking for evidence against Jesus’ resurrection, he wondered how strong the case was for its actual occurrence. Several facts stood out.

...Women First

Each eyewitness account reports that Jesus suddenly appeared bodily to his followers, the women first. Morison wondered why conspirators would make women central to the plot. In the first century, women had virtually no rights, personhood, or status. Morison reasoned that conspirators would have portrayed men, not women, as the first to see Jesus alive. And yet we read that women touched him, spoke with him, and were the first to find the empty tomb.

...Multiple Eyewitnesses

The disciples claim they saw Jesus on more than ten separate occasions. They say he showed them his hands and feet and told them to touch him. He ate with them and later, on one occasion, appeared alive to more than 500 followers.

In Caesarea, Peter told a crowd why he and the other disciples were so convinced Jesus was alive.

“We apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Israel and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by crucifying him, but God raised him to life three days later … We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.”

Morison realized that these early sightings of a risen Jesus by so many of his followers would have been virtually impossible to fake.

Consistent to the End

As Morison continued his investigation, he began to examine the motives of Jesus’ followers. He reasoned that something extraordinary must have happened, because the followers of Jesus ceased mourning, ceased hiding, and began fearlessly proclaiming that they had seen Jesus alive.

As if the eyewitness reports were not enough to challenge Morison’s skepticism, he was also baffled by the disciples’ behavior. These eleven former cowards were suddenly willing to suffer humiliation, torture, and death. All but one of Jesus’ disciples were slain as martyrs. If they had taken the body, would they have sacrificed so much for a lie? Something happened that changed everything for these men and women.

It was this significant fact that persuaded Morison the resurrection must have really happened. He acknowledged, “Whoever comes to this problem has sooner or later to confront a fact that cannot be explained away … This fact is that … a profound conviction came to the little group of people – a change that attests to the fact that Jesus had risen from the grave.”

Professor J. N. D. Anderson, author of “Evidence for the Resurrection” concurs, “Think of the psychological absurdity of picturing a little band of defeated cowards cowering in an upper room one day and a few days later transformed into a company that no persecution could silence – and then attempting to attribute this dramatic change to nothing more convincing than a miserable fabrication … That simply wouldn’t make sense.”

Why Did it Win?

Finally, Morison was bewildered by the fact that “a tiny insignificant movement was able to prevail over the cunning grip of the Jewish establishment, as well as the might of Rome. He explains,

“Within twenty years, the claim of these Galilean peasants had disrupted the Jewish church… In less than fifty years it had begun to threaten the peace of the Roman Empire. When we have said everything that can be said… we stand confronted with the greatest mystery of all. Why did it win?”

By all rights, if there were no resurrection, Christianity should have died out at the cross when the disciples fled for their lives. But the apostles went on to establish a growing Christian movement.

Whatever one believes about the validity of Jesus’ resurrection, clearly “something happened” after his death that has made a lasting impact on our world. When world historian H. G. Wells was asked who has left the greatest legacy on history, the non-Christian scholar replied, “By this test Jesus stands first.” What is that legacy?

Let’s look at just some of Jesus’ impact:

-Time is marked by his birth, B.C.– before Christ; A.D. – in the year of our Lord.

-More books have been written about Jesus than about any other person.

-About 100 great universities were established to spread his teaching — including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, Columbia, and Oxford.

-Jesus’ teaching that all people are created equal laid the bedrock for human rights and democracy in more than 100 countries.

-The high value Jesus placed on each person regardless of sex or race led his followers to promote the rights of women as well as abolish slavery.

-Humanitarian works such as the Red Cross, World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse, Mercy Ships and the Salvation Army were founded by his followers.

A Surprise Conclusion

In the book he finally wrote, Who Moved the Stone, Morison documents the evidence that led him to a belief in the resurrection. Morison is not alone. Numerous other skeptics who examined the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection, also became convinced and accepted it as the most astounding fact in all of human history.

Oxford professor and former skeptic C. S. Lewis, who had once doubted Jesus’ very existence, was also persuaded by the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection. He writes,

“Something perfectly new in the history of the Universe had happened. Christ had defeated death. The door which had always been locked had for the very first time been forced open.”

But there is even more. . .

Jesus on Trial

Dr. Simon Greenleaf decided to put Jesus’ resurrection on trial by examining the evidence. Greenleaf helped Harvard Law School gain widespread credibility. He also wrote the three-volume legal masterpiece A Treatise on the Law of Evidence, which has been called the “greatest single authority in the entire literature of legal procedure.” The U.S. judicial system today still relies on rules of evidence established by Greenleaf.

Greenleaf wondered if Jesus’ resurrection would hold up in a court of law. Focusing his brilliant legal mind on the facts of history, Greenleaf began applying his rules of evidence to the case of Jesus’ resurrection. The more Greenleaf investigated the record of history, the more evidence he discovered supporting the claim that Jesus had indeed risen from the tomb.

He documents his case for Jesus’ resurrection in his book, Testimony of the Evangelists. So, what was that evidence? Greenleaf observed several dramatic changes that took place shortly after Jesus died, the most baffling being the behavior of the disciples. He argues, “it would have been impossible for the disciples to persist with their conviction that Jesus had risen if they hadn’t actually seen the risen Christ.”  Applying his own rules of evidence to the facts, he accepted the resurrection as the best explanation for the events that took place immediately following Jesus’ crucifixion.

Many other legal experts, including former Chief Justice of England, Lord Darling, agree with Greenleaf’s verdict on the case for Jesus’ resurrection. Darling writes,

“There exists such overwhelming evidence…factual and circumstantial, that no intelligent jury in the world could fail to bring in a verdict that the resurrection story is true.”

But the resurrection of Jesus Christ raises the question: What does the fact that Jesus defeated death have to do with my life? The answer to that question is what New Testament Christianity is all about.

Did Jesus Say What Happens After We Die?

If Jesus really did rise from the dead, then he alone must know what is on the other side. What did Jesus say about the meaning of life and our future? Are there many ways to God or did Jesus claim to be the only way?

HOW CHIVAS REGAL BLENDED SCOTCH IS NOT CONNECTED WITH THE CHIVAS FAMILY

THE CHIVAS REGAL SAGA (ABRIDGED)

Chivas Brothers Holdings, which company manages the Chivas Regal brand of Blended Scotch Whiskies, operates 14 Scottish malt distilleries, all located in the Speyside area – apart from Scapa on Orkney – along with Strathclyde grain distillery near Glasgow.

It’s Chivas Regal 12 YO premium Blended Scotch Whisky is at the second spot globally among premium 12 YO Blended Scotch Whiskies behind Johnnie Walker Black Label in volumes sold, but is the leader in Europe and Asia (especially India and China). Judging by Aldi and Lidl standards, the brand is rather expensive, while also US$ 3-8 more per litre than Black Label.

What is not generally known is that the Chivas Brothers company came into being only in 1857, when John Chivas joined his elder brother James in his grocery, wine shop and luxury goods emporium in Aberdeen as a partner. John died in 1862, James in 1886 and James son, Alexander in 1893, the beginning of the end of all familial connection with the brand.

The often bandied about statement that Chivas Regal traces its roots back to 1801 is absolute nonsense. Chivas brothers James and John weren’t even born then. James Chivas’ first sniff of whisky came when he was 26 years old, in 1836, when he joined William Edward, a grocer and wine seller in Aberdeen as an employee. This grocery, destined for fame under another name, had been founded in 1801 by a John Forrest. It expanded with time and passed through various hands in succeeding years. James Chivas, hired in 1836, rose to partner in 1838, and remained the sole common owner/partner till his death.

The company, known as Edward and Chivas (1838-41) and later Stewart and Chivas (1841-57), obtained in 1843 the first of many Royal Warrant to supply luxury goods to British Royalty. Initially open to selling outsourced Blended Malt whiskies that met their stringent quality standards, they moved up to blending, ageing and selling proprietary deluxe malt whiskies starting 1854.

When the company was dissolved in 1857 and renamed Chivas Brothers Holdings with the advent of John Chivas, new ideas and concepts came to fruition. They successfully blended aged whiskies to move upmarket en bloc and entice an upper class word-of-mouth clientele with a smooth, rich and expensive whisky experience. Chivas Brothers first Blended Scotch whisky, the 10 YO Royal Strathythan, was launched in 1863.  They had realised that a good Grain Scotch whisky would help marry the heavy malts when suitably diluted and used in volumes that would bring down the overall strength of the whisky, which, surprisingly, tasted smoother and far more flavoursome at 46-50% ABV.

When Alexander Chivas died, control was handed over to two temporary directors, Messrs Smith and Taylor. The latter was replaced by their Master Blender, Charles Howard. In 1895, Smith and Howard told the Board of Trustees that they wished to buy them and the distaff side of the Chivas family out. The offer was accepted with the one proviso that the brand would remain (and has remained) unchanged as Chivas Brothers Holdings, a Ltd. company till this day.

Chivas' assessment of market condition in the US in the 1890s forecast a booming economy looking for luxury. In 1900, Howard decided to create a new blend in memorium of the founding brothers, James and John. Using select inhouse and other aged malts procured from the Highlands and Campbeltown, Howard found a malt-dominated recipe fitting the bill. Introducing the term ‘Regal’ for the first time ever, Howard created in 1909, all of 9 years later, what he believed to be the finest whisky ever made, a 25 year old whisky called Chivas Regal, the oldest Blended Scotch Whisky of its era, establishing it as the world’s first ultra-luxury whisky. The ABV was deliberately reduced to 46% to make it an excellent base for a Highball. It made its debut in a specially designed green glass decanter — with ornate gold and silver trimmings — in the USA to a glamorous reception in 1909 sans the Chivas family. 

Chivas Regal Blended Scotch 25 YO met with resounding success. Ironically, no member of the Chivas family had any connection with this ultra-premium successful blend. It was all one way street for the Chivas Regal, from 1909 till end 2014, when WW I started to become a sluggish long drawn affair (2014-18). Existing stocks were exhausted rather quickly as demand outstripped supply. Shipping lanes to USA closed down and Chivas Bros switched to building reserves at home.

WW I was to hurt most brands across Scotland, particularly exporters to the USA, and Chivas was no exception. The war did not hamper production of its two aged brands as the malt whiskies required were over 20/25 years and more old, and stock held in reserve was adequate. Huge stocks in barrels were piled up in anticipation of large-scale export to USA as soon as the war ended. Production of the flagship brand took topmost priority. Sadly, an extended unhappy period lay in store for the Chivas Regal 25 in the form of the US Prohibition (1920-33) that followed immediately after WW I, catching the company totally unaware in terms of stock, and the unrelated deaths of both its senior partners in 1935.

The surviving partner William Mitchell, unable to handle Chivas Brothers, sold off the entire holdings to whisky brokers Morrison & Lundie in 1936 on an 'as is' basis. Well stocked, Morrison decided that it was far too onerous to maintain aged barrels of whisky. They reduced the production of the Chivas 25 drastically, resulting in its withdrawal as their standard-bearer and ultimate demise. They sold off most of the aged stock in a greedy market to recover their cost of investment in no time and switched their attention to a 12 YO premium brand, a decision that would be seen as wise a lustrum later, when WW II (1939-1945) broke out in Europe, 4,000 miles from the USA. 1939 saw the highly successful debut of Chivas Regal 12 YO in the USA at what was to become a global standard proof value of 75°, i.e., 42.8% ABV (86° proof by US standards).

In the shaky post-war economy in 1949, Morrison & Lundie sold off the Chivas Brand to Canadian Samuel Bronfman’s Seagram Limited Company. The Chivas Regal 12 YO Blended Scotch Whisky brought in the money from across the globe, bar the Middle East. Since Bronfman was Jewish, the Seagram brands, including Chivas Regal, were not seen in the Middle East till 2001, when firmly under Pernod Ricard patronage.

Chivas took over the oldest operating distillery in Scotland, Strathisla distillery (ex-Milltown/Milton distillery, founded 1786) at Keith, in 1950. In 1957 a ‘sister’ distillery named Glen Keith was constructed close to Strathisla. Growth of whisky sales during the 1970s led Chivas to construct Allt-a-Bhainne and Braes of Glenlivet (now Braeval) distilleries to provide additional malt capacity.

In the next 25 years, Aberlour, Glenallachie, Edradour, The Glenlivet, Glen Grant and Longmorn distilleries were brought into their fold by Seagram. Today, Seagram is part of Pernod Ricard and Chivas Brothers Holdings is the second-largest Scotch whisky company after Diageo.

The Chivas Regal 25 Year Old, designed to woo the high societies of the US, had a higher malt content than the other blends of the time, its intention being to offer a more sophisticated and complex palate to its rivals. Since then, with tighter cask management by its owner, Chivas Brothers, the flagship expression 12-year-old has a lower malt content than its predecessor, believed to be 36% Malt, ~63.5% Grain and the balance the E-150A caramel colouring.

All Chivas Regal 12 Year Old’s malts are from Speyside; there is no Islay, Lowland or Highland Malt. The grain whisky is Strathclyde, a soft lowland grain whisky. The core single malt is Strathisla, a dominant Speysider. The Strathclyde provides all desired Single Grain whiskies. The exact recipe is something to kill for.

BALAKOT ANALYSIS: MAIN INPUTS FROM SQN LDR SAMEER JOSHI

IAF vs PAF AGAIN

We are all quite aware of the aerial confrontations between India and Pakistan in February this year. 

In the early morning hours of February 26, Indian warplanes attacked and destroyed the Islamic Fundamentalist terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed training centre at Jaba Top near Balakot town, just 50 odd km north of Abbottabad, where Osama bin Laden was located and executed. Approximately 300 inmates were killed in this precision attack, which caught the PAF with its pants down. 

As came to light in a couple of days, the massive loss of life was met with total shock and disbelief. Many videos were uploaded showing prayer and condolence meetings. Pak Army authorities were seen consoling locals from Jaba Top bereaved (about 25) with the time honoured phrase: "They are not dead, but sitting next to the Almighty, who has called them to his presence." In actuality, 253 inhabitants of the camp had died a gruesome death, smashed to smithereens. Body count was by torsos. The training centre was sealed off by the Army at 0615 hrs. Onlookers were pushed away.

Starting 0700, ambulances were called in and ten (10) were seen parked inside. They soon took away about sixty survivors to the local hospitals. Forty of these succumbed to their horrific injuries. These ambulances made only one trip. The remaining injured were left to their own devices and by 0930, had slunk away into the surrounding forest. A few survivors, mainly clergy as their Masjid wasn't attacked, were spirited away after their presence was no longer necessary.

Starting 1100 hrs, a mass grave was dug using mechanical digging machines and the body parts thrown in and covered up with training centre imams reciting apposite prayers. The total killed in this strike came to 293 Pakistanis, 95% of whom were terrorists under training.

The PAF hit back with Operation Swift Retort mid-morning on 27 February 2019. 12 x F-16, 8 x JF-17 and 8 x Mirage III/V took part in this air attack, aimed at drawing out IAF SU-30 MKIs with a decoy strike force of the workhorse veteran Mirage ac escorted by the JF-17s, and then shooting them down using AIM 120C AMRAAMS fitted on their F-16C/D ac. The mission failed as the lack of practice of the PAF pilots involved resulted in poor coordination and hurried indiscriminate missile launches at a highly trained and versatile pair of SU-30 ac, whose pilots just shrugged the launches off as poorly timed and evaded them effortlessly. At the end of the mission, the PAF withdrew having lost one F-16 but salvaged a vestige of pride by shooting down an IAF veteran MiG-21 Bison ac.

Sqn Ldr Sameer Joshi (Ret'd) of the IAF has analysed the incidents of both days over months of back-breaking and highly commendable effort. His findings are printed in this blog, immediately below.

THE STORY OF JUMBO MAJUMDAR AND HIS MEDALS

‘JUMBO’ MAJUMDAR CENTRE

INDIAN AIR FORCE MUSEUM 

INDIAN AIR FORCE STATION PALAM

Jumbo with his first DFC

In September 2013, Sailen Majumdar, a well to do Indian Chartered Accountant settled in the UK, was approached by an unknown Punjabi-speaking gentleman, who apparently had Sailen’s father’s World War II medals and wanted to sell them. Sailen acquired them next year in a surreptitious deal made without meeting or speaking with the Punjabi gentleman. Sailen had a sister, Anjali Noel Lobo, in Pune, India. He rang her up mid 2014 to tell her how he had acquired their father’s medals. She felt very happy that the medals had been found as they would enhance the already strong undercurrent of recognition of her late father’s exploits. She asked him why he didn’t meet or speak with the Punjabi gentleman, to get an odd reply that he didn't understand Punjabi, but the medals were safe and with him. 

Mrs Anjali Lobo

He called her up again in October 2014 to tell her that he didn’t want their children and grandchildren to squabble over this issue, so he had decided to sell the medals. In fact, he had already put them up for auction through a Central London Auction House specialising in the sale of collectors' coins of all periods and historical medals. He had set a reserve price of £20,000. He went on to say that he believed that their father would have been very happy and proud that he was doing so. Anjali was furious and heatedly replied, 'I am sorry, I don’t think our father would have been happy or proud that you are selling his medals. He died for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and for the country.” That was the last conversation she had with her brother.

When contacted telephonically by the media, Sailen had his own side of the story. He insisted that he had been completely honest with his sister and when told about the medals, she didn’t express any particular interest in them. She had nonchalantly quipped that were she in his place, she wouldn’t bother. Everybody knew their father had a Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC, UK) and Bar. She was now conveniently saying that she didn't remember any of their conversations.

Her riposte to the media was on expected lines. "I feel really sad about it. What else can I say? My father died for the IAF. He would be very sad at this impasse. These are my father's medals and it is shocking that they have become an object of commerce. The auction was called off because bidding did not reach the cutoff price of £20,000.  After media pressure, the IAF bought the medals for £30,000. I am glad that they have reached the IAF. It is what my father would have wanted but I don’t think it was very nice that the Air Force had to pay to acquire them.”

So what was the bond that connected Anjali Lobo, Sailen Majumdar and WW II gallantry medals? The two were siblings, both the offspring of Wing Commander Karun Krishna Majumdar DFC & Bar, the first Indian Officer to reach the rank of Wing Commander and also to be twice decorated for valour. In fact, he was awarded the first DFC on the Burma front in 1942 and next, deep in Europe in 1945. He also baled out once on each front, escaping through raw guts and derring do and setting an example in Leadership.

Wing Commander Karun Krishna Majumdar DFC & Bar, a six foot two inch tall lad, with equally commanding personality, courage and forthrightness, had been given the nickname ‘Jumbo’ by his friends in the Indian Air Force (IAF). He was born on September 6, 1913 at Calcutta to an illustrious family of ardent nationalists. His cousins Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri and Hem Chaudhuri also joined the Forces; the former joined the Army and ultimately became the Chief of Army Staff, while the latter followed Majumdar into the Air Force and rose to a high rank. A bright child, he was honest, fiercely independent and not afraid of going his own way, even in the face of criticism.These traits were abundantly manifest in his role as one of the prominent pioneers of the Indian Air Force.

From early childhood, he had only one passion, one purpose for living – to ‘Fly’.  He took the entrance exam to join The Royal Flying College, Cranwell, UK and stood second in the order of merit.  On commissioning, he joined the newly raised and prestigious first Squadron of the IAF, No. 1 Squadron, as a Flying Officer in the mid 1930s. Flying the Wapiti and later, the Hawker Hart aircraft, he was soon identified as an outstanding flier with tremendous potential for leadership. On June 27, 1941, Jumbo was promoted to Squadron Leader (Sqn Ldr) and took over command of No. 1 Squadron in anticipation of action during the ongoing WW II. The IAF in those days was a minuscule force and clearly under the influence of long-standing British tradition. Majumdar, however, was all for ‘Indianising’ the Air Force environment, famously stating, “The IAF must be an Indian Banyan tree and not an English Oak”.

On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbour. Plans were hurriedly made to contain the Japanese and Jumbo’s No. 1 Squadron, now equipped with the Lysander aircraft, was moved to Taungoo Airfield in Burma. One morning, the Japanese attacked the airfield and damaged several aircraft. Only the IAF’s Lysanders remained untouched. Majumdar planned a retaliatory attack and flew out in a Lysander with two 250lb bombs. Flying at treetop level, he entered the Japanese base and dropped the bombs with precision, destroying the hangar and the aircraft in it. The very next day, he led his Sqn, the Tigers, to lay siege to and demolish the Japanese base.

Jumbo and his squadron of Lysanders flew offensive missions that inflicted extensive damage to enemy airfields and installations. For his leadership of the Squadron and daring performance in the Burma Campaign, Squadron Leader Majumdar was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), thus becoming the first Indian Officer in World War II to be so decorated. Promoted to Wing Commander (Acting) in 1942, the first Indian to reach this rank, he voluntarily returned to the war front in England in March 1944, demitting his Acting rank and reverting to Sqn Ldr. 

Jumbo Getting his Second DFC

He flew the Mustang and Typhoon aircraft during the Allied invasion of Europe in numerous reconnaissance and ground attack missions deep into occupied France and Belgium, totally unmindful of personal safety. For his gallant role in these operations, Majumdar was awarded a Bar to his DFC in January 1945, again the first and only Indian to be so decorated. The London Gazette praised him for his operational skills and LIFE magazine listed him as one of the 12 best pilots in the allied air forces for his work in Burma and Europe.

On his return from Europe, this avid flier commanded the Air Force Display Flight. He toured the country extensively, conducting aerobatic shows and displays. He was scheduled to carry out a display near Lahore on February 17, 1945 on a Hawker Hurricane aircraft.The aircraft had a history of snags and he was advised by the Flight's Engg Officer Flt Lt Harjinder Singh to be extra cautious and carry out only safe manoeuvres at a reasonably high altitude. In the aerobatic display flight, his  aircraft developed a serious snag, became unstable and crashed, tragically killing him. Jumbo Majumdar died as he had always wanted to, with his flying boots on in the cockpit of an aircraft, flying to his heart’s content.

Mid 2015, the Indian Air Force (IAF) used its internal discretionary funds to acquire the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and the war medals of the World War II veteran Wing Commander Jumbo Majumdar from the auction house. This was because the apathetic Ministry of Defence (MoD) refused to sanction 30,000 pounds (approximately Rs. 28 lakh), the price fixed by the auction house which had acquired the medals from Jumbo Majumdar's son Sailen Majumdar. MoD said that the decision was that of the Ministry of Culture-typical stalling tactics- and that they had sent the file to the Culture (agriculture?) Ministry to take a call on whether the medals should be acquired in the first place. After waiting several months, the auction house Morton and Eden set a May 26 deadline after the IAF had entered into a binding contract with the auction house but failed to reach a settlement. Keen to avoid defaulting on an agreement, the IAF went ahead with the purchase on its own through its Air Attache in London.

Despite the government's rejection, the Indian Air Force has been clear that the memory of the man they consider the father of the modern IAF must be honoured. Yet, in a strange order to avoid controversy, where they should have raised the roof, the IAF decided not to celebrate the return of the medals to India and made no press release on the acquisition of the World War Two treasures. The medals, now in India, were showcased prominently at the Air Force Museum, Air Force Station, Palam, in a formal function on 16 July 2019.

In a statement to NDTV, the AOC-in-C Western Air Command, Air Marshal R Nambiar, PVSM, AVSM, VM&Bar, had said, "Jumbo's contribution during the Second World War both in Burma and in the Normandy Campaigns has been acknowledged in professional circles.  He was the first and the only IAF pilot to be awarded DFC and Bar.  Having understood the importance of Air Power at a very early age, he worked relentlessly to build a strong Air Force for India.  Jumbo led from the front by personal example and worked relentlessly to lay the foundation of the IAF.  His spirit shall live as long as there are young men to take up the challenge of his legacy, and the trail of glory shall be remembered and cherished by the IAF for all time to come."

The auction documents states, "Jumbo Majumdar's seeming disregard for his own safety on solo bombing raids and leading others against what appeared to be insurmountable odds made him a legendary figure both in the Royal Air Force and among his own countrymen. It is generally agreed that had he lived, his example and vision for Indian air power would have seen him rise to the highest level in the post-Independence Indian Air Force."

Sailen Majumdar revealed that he also has somewhere the crucifix that his paternal grandmother Jonaki Agnes Penelope Majumdar (nee Bonnerjee) had made from the metal of the ill-fated Hurricane that his father crashed in. In addition, a note book where he made very personal and philosophical comments about his role in World War 2 (sic). He had to decide what to do with numerous letters between his parents during World War 2. Personal, but such a long time ago, that perhaps they should now be in the public domain for anyone who is interested, rather than them being binned or left in a drawer forever!

As eulogised by Air Marshal R Nambiar, late "Wg Cdr Karun Krishna 'Jumbo' Majumdar was the ultimate flier, a hero in the truest sense of the word."