Introduction of MM Alam:
| Allegiance | Pakistan |
| Nickname | MM Alam (Little Dragon) |
| Date of Birth | 6th July 1935 |
| Place of birth | Kolkata, India |
| Death & place | 18th March 2013 Karachi |
| Cause of Death | Damage of the respiratory system |
| Service | Pakistan Air Force |
| Rank | Air Commodore |
| Services Period | 1960-1982 |
| Unit | No.11 Squadron Arrows (1965) No.5 Squadron Falcons |
| Wars | India-Pakistan War of 1965 India-Pakistan war of 1971 Soviet-Afghan War |
| Awards | Sitara-e-Jurat & Bar |
Brief Description:
Air commodore Muhammad Mahmood Alam was born in “Kolkata, British India” on 6th July 1935. His nickname was “Little Dragon”, due to his bravery and intelligence. He was a Pakistani fighter pilot, he downed 5 aircraft of the Indian Air Forces in less than 1 minute between the war of India and Pakistan. In the war of India and Pakistan, all the Hawker Hunter planes were dropped down by the Alam on one sortie on 7 September in 1965. But there were some writers and the retired Pakistan Air Force Air Commodore Sajjad S. Haider claimed concerning the sortie on the 7th September 1965. The Pakistani Air Force records that the Alam was F-86 Sabre flying ace. Muhammad Mahmood Alam was awarded by the “Sitara-e-jurat”. He died on 18th March 2013 in Karachi.[1]
Life of Muhammad Mahmood Alam (MM Alam):
Muhammad Mahmood Alam was born in “British India” in “Kolkata” which is known to be as the “East Pakistan”. Muhammad Mahmood Alam studied from the “Government High School, Dhaka”, which was located in the East of Pakistan in 1951. He joined the Pakistan Air Force in 1952 and was posted to the commission on 2nd October 1953. He and his family came to Pakistan during the war of Pakistan and India in 1971. He loves his country such that in the love of the country he never married. He never used to speak Bengali, didn’t give importance, he gives importance to the Urdu Language. In the interview, he said that[2]
“This was my Wish from childhood to become a soldier and defend my country and to be a fighter pilot and with the grace of GOD, I succeeded in my mission and joined PAF (Pakistan Air Force). Some facts of Islam and jihad always remained in my mind that one Muslim is equal to 10 kafirs during the war and these were all things which I remember every time and I love my country so much[2]”
He was three brothers, one of them was “M.Shahid Alam” that was an “Economist” and a professor at “Northeastern University” and the other was “M.Sajjad Alam”, that was the physicist at “SUNY Albany”.
An Untold War of 1965:
India underestimated the power of the Pakistan Air Force the darkest night had been started an Untold War begins in 1965 between India and Pakistan. At that time, “General Ayub Khan” was the president of Pakistan he gave addressed to the Pakistani Public. He told about the Untold War of 1965 between India and Pakistan. At this time, the enemy was three times bigger and most powerful than the former. When the war started, MM Alam was the first commanding officer of the squadron, and pilot of the Assault Mirage III took his F-86 Sabre Jet aircraft that was equipped with AIM-9 sidewinder missiles. MM Alam flies over the sky of Sarghoda and wants to defeat the enemies’ entrance in Pakistan Air Space. The Indian Air Force wanted to attack and that time the history made by our hero which became the world record. MM Alam dropped down 9 Indian aircraft in less than 1 minute that was more powerful than Pakistan’s F-86 Sabre jet. Muhammad Mahmood Alam announced to the controller that he shut down Indian Air Force’s 9 aircraft, the radio Pakistan announced his intelligence and brilliance. Pakistani Public started the slogans of “Allah O Akbar” by the MM Alam performance and the spoiled the dirty dreams of the enemy[2].
List of the Claimed kills:
According to the Pakistan Air Force, MM Alam destroys five aircraft in less than 1 minute and, made a world record, in a single sortie on 7th September 1965. MM Alam said that:
“Before we had completed more than of about 270 degrees of the turn, at around 12 degrees per second, all four Hunters had been shot down.”
List of the confirmed kills are given below:
- Squadron Leader Onkar Nath Kacker, No. 27 Sqn, POW
- Squadron Leader A B Devayya, No. 7 Sqn. (IAF shows him a Mystere Pilot & he belonged to No 1 Squadron)
- Squadron Leader Suresh B Bhagwat, No. 7 Sqn
- Flight Lieutenant B Guha, No. 7 Sqn
- Flying Officer Jagdev Singh Brar, No. 7 Sqn, KIA, near Sangla Hill.
While speaking at the University of Karachi, he said that there was a magnificent force coming from the sky, in 1978. MM Alam was been appoint the squadron commander of the first squadron of Dassault Mirage III fighters procured by the Pakistan Air Force. He had been retired as the Air Commodore[1].
Soviet-Afghan War:
Muhammad Mahmood Alam also takes part in the Soviet-Afghan War and “Ahmed Shah Masoud” was his close companion, “Zaid Hamid” quoted from his book “From Indus to Oxus” and some other close familiarity of “Alam”[3].
Illness and Death:
The legend of the Air Force was fighting from illness since December 2012[2]. He was suffering from the respiratory system for 18 months. He was admitted to the Pakistan Naval Station Shifa Hospital in Karachi. At last, he took his last breath on 18th March 2013. At that time, his age was about 77 years. MM Alam’s burial pray was performed at the Pakistan Air Base Mansoor. He did service for some years of his job and career[1].
Sitara-e-Jurat:
MM Alam is one of the honored and the fighter pilot for the Pakistan Air Force which is listed on the top in the hall of Famers at the Pakistan Air Force Museum in Karachi. Muhammad Mahmood Alam is now considered as the National Hero for Pakistan. Moreover, for his extraordinary performance and the brilliant in the battle, he was awarded by the “Sitara-e-Jurat” in 1965 and also got the “BAR medal” again at the awesome movements and the performance, when he was rewriting the history about the “Indian Hawkers” which he dropped down in less than 1 minute. Moreover, the Government of Pakistan gives a name to the road in the Gulberg, Lahore, after his death[1].
References:
1. Wikipedia. 27th July 2020; Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Mahmood_Alam.
2. incpack. Available from: https://www.incpak.com/info/hero-1965-war-m-m-alam-known-little-dragon/.
3. wikia. 27th July 2020; Available from: https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Mahmood_Alam.
Intresting post