A flight cadet’s story which took wings in a small West Bengal village

In a village where people generally confuse the Indian Air Force with an airport, and where many consider the Indian Army to be India’s only defence force, a farmer’s son dared to dream big, and fly. The story of Flight Cadet Debasish Roy, who grew up in a tiny hamlet in Cooch Behar, West Bengal, is nothing short of inspiring. For a majority of the people there, ambition means securing modest means of survival. But not for Debasish, whose father tills the land while his mother manages the household.

His parents dreamed that their son would one day join the Army, the only defence force they knew. But destiny had a different uniform in mind. In 2019, while pursuing his graduation, Debasish enlisted in the Indian Air Force as an airman. The force that gave him a livelihood also gave him wings. He completed his degree, discovered the path to becoming an officer, and set his sights on the Air Force Common Admission Test. The boy who once did not even know much about the Air Force was now determined to serve it as an officer. But his journey was never a solo flight.

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He worked relentlessly, and his father, despite modest means, stood firmly behind him. Later, his wife joined him in his struggle, supporting him through his relentless preparation. Her unwavering encouragement and sacrifice fuelled his late-night study sessions. His colleagues helped him through the gruelling Services Selection Board (SSB) preparation. Every struggle was shared, and every milestone was collective. Then came the moment that rewrote history. Debasish cleared the Air Force Selection Board (AFSB) and earned his place at the Air Force Academy.

“My son has always been good at studies, but I could never provide him with all the financial support he needed. He studied away from home for most of the time, and we somehow managed the funds to support him,” said Debasish’s father, Dipak Roy. Debasish studied at Rambhola High School in Cooch Behar town, away from his home. To reach his house in Purba Phalimari village of the Cooch Behar-I Development Block, he had to travel nearly three kilometres after leaving the state highway. Speaking about the family’s financial constraints, Dipak Roy said, “In high school, he wanted to study science because he had scored very well. He secured more than 95 per cent in mathematics. Unfortunately, there was no one to guide me at that time.

I was told that studying science would require a lot of money, so I got him admitted to the arts stream.” After completing high school, Debasish secured admission to a college in Siliguri, where he studied geography. He also chose political science because he felt it would help him prepare for bank probationary officer examinations, his father added. “In between, he got a job as an airman, which meant he had to come back and complete his graduation. But he was not content with his job. He wanted to become an officer and kept appearing for examinations to qualify,” his father said. “As a child, he wanted to become a doctor. With his academic brilliance, he could have achieved that dream, but we simply did not have enough money to support him,” rued Dipak Roy.

Mr Roy also has another son, Vikram, a graduate who works in a private firm in Cooch Behar. Narrating his own story, Dipak Roy said he too had struggled to earn a livelihood. He could not pursue his education because his father passed away when he was young, forcing him to support his two younger brothers. Today, Mr Roy is proud that his son has achieved what he had always dreamed of. Debasish is the first young man from the village to become an officer in the Indian Air Force. The congratulatory calls he continues to receive from friends and relatives only reinforce the feeling that both his own struggles and his son’s perseverance have been worthwhile.

A proud Dipak Roy and his wife were present to witness the passing-out parade and watch history being made. From a farmer’s modest home to the hallowed drill square at Dundigal, Debasish’s journey is one of grit, gratitude and grace. When he marched on his commissioning day, he did not walk alone. He carried with him the aspirations of his family and an entire village. Perhaps the proud son of Purba Phalimari village will now inspire many more youngsters from his hometown to join the Indian Air Force.