Vijay Srinivas Karnik is a retired Indian Air Force wing commander who is known for his leadership during Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

[citation needed] On 8 December 1971, Pakistan launched an aerial attack on Bhuj airbase and damaged the airstrip by dropping 14 napalm bombs from eight squadrons of Sabre jets.

Despite the ongoing bombings by the Pakistani jets, the women were able to complete the repair work in a record 72 hours and the airbase was able to resume operations.

At the end of the war, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi recognised and awarded[clarification needed] the contribution of these women.

[citation needed] In the 2021 Disney+ Hotstar film Bhuj: The Pride of India, Ajay Devgn played the role of Vijay Karnik, set during Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.