Bot at 07:27, 10 October 2022

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{{Short description|Pakistani academic and activist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Group Captain]]
| name = Cecil Chaudhry
| honorific_suffix = [[File:Sitara - i -Jurat .png|20px]] 
{{small|[[Sitara-e-Jurat]]}} {{small|[[Sitara-e-Jurat|SJ]]}}, {{small|[[Sitara-e-Basalat|SBt]]}}, {{small|[[Pride of Performance|PP]]}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1941|08|27|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Dalwal]], [[Punjab (British India)|Punjab]], [[British India]], now [[Pakistan]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2012|04|13|1941|08|27|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Lahore]], [[Pakistan]]
| image =
| caption = Group Captain Cecil Chaudhry
| alma_mater = [[St. Anthony High School, Lahore]], [[Forman Christian College]]
| module =
| nickname =
| allegiance = {{flagcountry|Pakistan}}
| branch = {{air force|Pakistan}}
| serviceyears = 1958–1986
| rank = [[Group Captain]]
| commands = [[Masroor Airbase|Masroor Air Force Base]] [[Mushaf Airbase|Sargodha Air Force Base]] [[List of Pakistan Air Force bases|No. 32 Fighter Ground Attack Wing]] [[List of Pakistan Air Force bases|No. 38 Multi-Role Wing]] [[United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program#Pakistan|Combat Commander's School]]
| servicenumber = Pak/4055
| unit = [[No. 5 Squadron (Pakistan Air Force)|No. 5 Squadron ''Fighting Falcons'']]
| battles = [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]] [[Indo-Pakistani Air War of 1965|Operation Eagle Strike]] [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]] [[Operation Chengiz Khan]] during 1971 war his aircraft was shot by ground fire, Cecil ejected safely and was recovered by troops of 40 Punjab in Zafarwal Sector
| awards = [[File:Sitara-e-Jurat.png|50px]]''[[Sitara-e-Jurat]]'' [[File:Sitara-e-Basalat.png|50px]]''[[Sitara-e-Basalat]]'' [[File:President's Award for Pride of Performance.png|50px]]''[[Pride of Performance]]''
| laterwork = [[Educationist]]
}}

[[Group Captain]] '''Cecil Chaudhry''' {{small|[[Sitara-e-Jurat|SJ]], [[Sitara-e-Basalat|SBt]], [[Pride of Performance|PP]]}} ([[Urdu]]:سیسل چودھری) (27 August 1941 – 13 April 2012) was a Pakistani academic, human rights activist, and a veteran [[fighter pilot]]. As a [[flight lieutenant]], he fought in the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]] and as a [[squadron leader]] in the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]. During the 1965 war, Chaudhry and three other pilots, under the leadership of [[Wing Commander (rank)|Wing Commander]] [[Anwar Shamim]], attacked the [[Amritsar]] Radar Station in a difficult operation. He was awarded the [[Sitara-e-Jurat]] (Star of Courage) for his actions during that mission.<ref name=Tribune>[https://tribune.com.pk/story/364519/obituary-war-hero-During the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war his aircraft was shot down by ground fire. Cecil bailed out and was recovered by troops of 40 Punjab in Zafarwal Sector. cecil-chaudhry-passes-away Obituary: War hero Cecil Chaudhry passes away (Minorities' alliance announces 10-day mourning)] The Express Tribune (newspaper), Published 14 April 2012, Retrieved 7 October 2021</ref><ref name="GoogleBooks">{{cite book |author=Shireen Najib |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J_6o1jKr2KUC&dq=awards+Cecil+Chaudhry&pg=PA83 |title=My Life, My Stories (Cecil Chaudhry a war hero) pages 83 to 85 |date=2013 |website=Google Books website |isbn=9781480900004 |access-date=7 October 2021}}</ref>

==Early life and career==
Chaudhry was born on 27 August 1941 to the only [[Christians|Christian]] ([[Roman Catholic]]) family of the village [[Dalwal]], located in the [[Salt Range]] of [[Punjab, British India]]. His father, Elmer Chaudhry, hailing from [[East Punjab]] and then based in [[Lahore]], was chief photographer with ''The Times'', Lahore, as well as a [[physics]] and [[mathematics]] teacher at [[St. Anthony's High School (Lahore)|St. Anthony's High School]]. Cecil Chaudhry was schooled at St. Anthony's, before pursuing higher studies at the [[Forman Christian College]], [[Lahore]] where he received his [[B.S.]] in [[physics]].<ref name=Tribune/><ref name="TNI2">{{cite news |author=M Adnan Khan |date=15 April 2020 |title=The faithful disciple (scroll down to read Cecil Chaudhry's profile) |newspaper=The News International (newspaper) |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/644697-the-faithful-disciple |access-date=7 October 2021}}</ref>

As an Air Scout, he was awarded his glider pilot’s wings in 1956 by the then President of Pakistan, [[Iskander Mirza]], at a ceremony in Karachi. He was admitted into the [[Pakistan Air Force Academy]] on 12 March 1958 and enrolled in the [[engineering]] program. In 1960, he received his double [[BSc]] in [[aeronautics]] and [[mechanical engineering]] along with becoming an ace fighter pilot upon graduating from the [[PAF Academy]]. After nearly 28 years of service, he retired from the Pakistan Air Force in 1986.<ref name=Tribune/><ref name=TNI2/>

==Later life==
Cecil Chaudhry became an educationist after leaving the air force and was affiliated with the Punjab Education Foundation. He served as principal of [[St. Anthony's High School (Lahore)|St. Anthony's College]] for many years, before becoming principal of [[St Mary’s College, Rawalpindi|Saint Mary's Academy]], Lalazar, [[Rawalpindi]], succeeding Sister Eileen Ann Daffy.<ref>{{cite news|title = Children from St Anthony's High School, Lahore, in city |date=1 August 2006 |url= https://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060802/chd.htm|newspaper=Chandigarh Tribune (Online Edition)|access-date=7 October 2021}}</ref> He retired from this post in July 2011.<ref name=Tribune/><ref name=GoogleBooks/>

Chaudhry remained an influential, independent human rights activist, as well as working for the betterment of children with disabilities and for educational reform. He advised and worked closely with the late [[Shahbaz Bhatti]] from the early 1990s onwards and had been Executive Secretary of the [[All Pakistan Minorities Alliance]] (APMA) since its inception. He was also affiliated with the [[National Commission for Justice and Peace]] and was instrumental in leading the fourteen-year campaign that led to the restoration of Pakistan's joint electorate system in 2002.<ref name=Tribune/><ref>[https://religioncompass.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/blasphemy-laws-and-the-persecution-of-minorities-in-pakistan3.pdf] Benedict Rogers, 2009</ref>

==Awards and Decorations==
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
| colspan="4" |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=PAF GDP Red.png|width=250}}
|-
| colspan="4" |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Jurat.png|width=130}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Basalat.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Tamgha-e-Diffa.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War Ribbon.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Sitara-e-Harb 1971 War.png|width=130}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Tamgha-e-Jang 1971 War.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Tamgha-e-Sad Saala Jashan-e-Wiladat-e-Quaid-e-Azam.png|width=130}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Hijri Tamgha.png|width=130}}
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
| colspan="4" |'''[[Pakistan Air Force|PAF]]''' GD(P) Badge '''RED''' (More than '''3000''' Flying Hours)
|-
|
| colspan="2" |'''[[Sitara-e-Jurat]]'''
''(Star of Courage)''

'''1965'''
|
|-
|'''[[Sitara-e-Basalat]]'''
''(Star of Good Conduct)''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Campaign / war medals|Tamgha-e-Diffa]]'''
''(General Service Medal)''

# '''[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965|1965 War]] Clasp'''
# '''[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971|1971 War]] Clasp'''
|'''[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965|Sitara-e-Harb 1965 War]]'''
''(War Star 1965)''
|'''[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971|Sitara-e-Harb 1971 War]]'''
''(War Star 1971)''
|-
|'''[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965|Tamgha-e-Jang 1965 War]]'''
''(War Medal 1965)''
|'''[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971|Tamgha-e-Jang 1971 War]]'''
''(War Medal 1971)''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Commemorative medals|Tamgha-e-Sad Saala Jashan-e-]]'''
'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Commemorative medals|Wiladat-e-Quaid-e-Azam]]'''

''(100th Birth Anniversary of''

''[[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]])''

'''1976'''
|'''[[Awards and decorations of the Pakistan Armed Forces#Commemorative medals|Hijri Tamgha]]'''
''(Hijri Medal)''

'''1979'''
|}
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="3" style="background:#006400; color:#FFFFFF; text-align:center" |'''Other Honours'''
|-
!'''{{flag|Pakistan}}'''
|'''[[Pride of Performance|President's Award for Pride of Performance]]<ref name="TNI">{{cite news |author=Maria Lunetta Nathaniel |date=27 September 2021 |title=White in the flag (obituary of Cecil Chaudhry) |newspaper=The News International (newspaper) |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/895689-white-in-the-flag |access-date=7 October 2021}}</ref><ref name="TNI2" />'''
[[Pride of Performance Awards (1980–1989)|''(Education - '''2013''')'']]
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=President's Award for Pride of Performance.png|width=130}}
|}

==Death and legacy==
Cecil Chaudhry died at the age of 70 in Lahore on 13 April 2012 after a battle with lung cancer. He was buried with full military honors at the Jail Road's Christian Cemetery in Lahore, Pakistan.<ref name=Tribune/><ref name=TNI2/> His daughter, Michelle Chaudhry, founded the Cecil & Iris Chaudhry Foundation, an NGO active in the defence of minorities in Pakistan, in his memory. Among his survivors were three daughters and a son.<ref name=Tribune/><ref>[http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Pakistan's-Chaudhry-Foundation,-a-Catholic-NGO,-slams-anti-Ahmadi-violence-31806.html Asia News 8 April 2014]</ref>

==See also==
* [[Mervyn Middlecoat]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* {{YouTube|qD3RSJPcClM|Cecil Chaudhry's Interview on ATV}}

{{Pride of Performance for Arts}}
{{Recipients of Sitara-e-Jurat}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chaudhry, Cecil}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:2012 deaths]]
[[Category:Pakistan Air Force officers]]
[[Category:Pakistani military engineers]]
[[Category:Pakistani flying aces]]
[[Category:Pilots of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]
[[Category:Pakistani military personnel of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
[[Category:Pakistani Christians]]
[[Category:Pakistani Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Recipients of Sitara-e-Jurat]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Pride of Performance]]
[[Category:Deaths from lung cancer]]
[[Category:People from Chakwal District]]
[[Category:Forman Christian College alumni]]
[[Category:People from Lahore]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Lahore]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in Pakistan]]
[[Category:St. Anthony's High School, Lahore alumni]]
[[Category:Pakistani test pilots]]
[[Category:Pakistani social workers]]

Cecil Chaudhry - Revision history

Bot at 07:27, 10 October 2022