NITIN SATHE · AUTHOR · IAF VETERAN
Media & Press Resources
Find Nitin Sathe biography copy, interview themes and published references for journalists, hosts and event organisers.

Nitin Sathe biography: short version
Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (Retd.) is an Indian Air Force veteran, former Services Selection Board President and author. His books and articles explore aviation, military history, leadership, resilience, SSB awareness and disaster response.
His bibliography includes Born to Fly, Up in the Sky, 1971. 1999. War Stories, A Few Good Men and the Angry Sea, The Siachen Soldier and Other Stories, SSB Simplified and Mann Kee Udaan.
Extended biography
Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (Retd.) draws on 36 years in the Indian Air Force, a career that included helicopter flying and service as President of the Services Selection Board. His writing brings attention to the people within military and personal histories.
Born to Fly follows M. P. Anil Kumar’s response to life-changing injury. Up in the Sky draws on helicopter flying experiences, while 1971. 1999. War Stories brings together veteran accounts. His Car Nicobar tsunami book examines disaster response and recovery. SSB Simplified focuses on preparation through self-awareness and personal development.
His published articles and long-form conversations extend these themes into discussions of aviation, judgement, service and resilience. Institutions and media platforms can propose conversations tailored to their audiences.
Independent reviews, book coverage & recognition
Reviews and reports are credited to their original publishers and writers. They are distinct from Nitin Sathe’s own articles.

The Exotic Life of an Airforce Pilot
Review praises storytelling and explicitly records first edition 2019 and ISBN 9789386473370.
Read the coverage ↗
Born To Fly wins Award for Best Non Fiction
Reports Best Non Fiction prize at Valley of Words International Literature Festival, Dehradun.
Read the coverage ↗
Nitin Sathe’s book well-researched: Air Chief Marshal
Contemporaneous coverage says the book was released in November 2022; compliments its research.
Read the coverage ↗सकारात्मक ऊर्जास्रोताची संघर्षगाथा
Identifies Suniti Jain as translator, Manovikas Prakashan as publisher and Aparajit as translation of Born to Fly.
Read the coverage ↗
Born to Fly (M P Anil Kumar)
Bharat Rakshak page says first published Defence and Diplomacy Journal Vol 6 No 3 (Apr–Jun 2017); metadata lists Jan 2 2017 hardcover and ISBN 9789382711667.
Read the coverage ↗
Have you met the Siachen soldier?
Article describes the book and quotes an endorsement attributed to Shashi Tharoor. Establishes book existed by 16 Feb 2024.
Read the coverage ↗
Air Cmde Nitin Sathe’s 1971. 1999. War Stories is a collection of heroic tales from 1971 to Kargil
Maj Gen Raj Mehta’s review values the firsthand accounts while also identifying concerns about maps and factual details. The webpage carries the Tribune Web Desk byline.
Read the coverage ↗
Manohar Parrikar Releases Book On Fighter Pilot MP Anil Kumar
Contemporaneous book launch report naming Nitin Sathe, Manohar Parrikar and subject M P Anil Kumar.
Read the original report ↗
‘Born to fly’: Book release at Sainik school
A contemporary preview of the planned Sainik School local release of Born to Fly, also reporting the earlier Delhi launch. Listed here as advance coverage.
Read the original report ↗Flying against all odds
Independent story about Born to Fly and Sainik School release following Delhi launch.
Read the original report ↗
Of men and their flying machines: Pilots hail legacy as MiG-21 prepares for swansong
Independent contemporaneous report, not written by Nitin Sathe
Read the original report ↗
1971. 1999. War Stories: the challenges behind the wars
An independent review of Nitin Sathe’s book and its accounts of the Bangladesh Liberation War and Kargil conflict.
Read the review ↗Interviews & credited editorial contributions
Meet IAF’s First Agniveers!
Archana Masih; photographs and video by Rajesh Karkera. Original Rediff article explicitly credits Air Commodore Nitin Sathe for editorial coordination.
Read the credited feature ↗Sons Of Fruit-Seller, Tailor, Farmer Top Agniveers
Archana Masih; photographs by Rajesh Karkera. Original Rediff article explicitly credits Nitin Sathe as editorial consultant.
Read the credited feature ↗The Village of Heroes
Written by Archana Masih, with Nitin Sathe credited as editorial consultant.
Read the feature ↗Bad weather poses greatest risk to helicopter flying
An interview by Archana Masih quoting Nitin Sathe on helicopter flying. This is coverage featuring him, rather than an article written by him.
Read the interview ↗Giving AFCAT? Last Minute Tips
A Rediff Gurus feature inviting questions for Nitin Sathe. The publication credits rediffGurus; it is not presented as his bylined article.
Read the advice feature ↗Speaking appearances & conference records
National Security and Disaster Management workshop
Tsunami 2004: Disaster Management Lessons. Reported in the linked organiser or event coverage.
View the event source ↗Winds of Change: Climate and Disaster Challenges to Indian Air Force Infrastructure
Climate-resilient defence infrastructure; 2004 tsunami lessons. Reported in the linked organiser or event coverage.
View the event source ↗Dweep Diksha Dialogue 2024
HADR leadership and operational roles. Reported in the linked organiser or event coverage.
View the event source ↗Shemrock Literary Festival and SSB Simplified book event
Literary event; discussion of writing journey; SSB Simplified book release. Reported in the linked organiser or event coverage.
View the event source ↗Transboundary water and security conference presentation
Approaching Trans-Boundary Perspectives on Water in South Asia from a Security Perspective. Reported in the official proceedings.
View the event source ↗Programme announcements
The following entries are advance programme or schedule records. They do not establish that an appearance took place.
Balancing Bonds — Pune International Literary Festival
Discussion with Lt Gen Rajeev and Lt Gen Madhuri Kanitkar. Recorded in the contemporary programme; participation is not independently confirmed.
View the event source ↗Military Literature Festival: Battle of Longewala
Battle of Longewala. Recorded in the contemporary programme; participation is not independently confirmed.
View the event source ↗Biographies & media enquiries
About Nitin Sathe · Prepare a media brief · Videos and interviews · Authored articles and contributions
Earlier interviews and book launch coverage
Reports and interviews by the credited journalists and news agencies. Open each item at its original publication.
- Post-Tsunami: Rebuilding an Air Force Station and the lives of many ↗ — Business Standard / IANS; Indo-Asian News Service; 2014-12-24.
- Tsunami was like an island sinking: IAF officer ↗ — Business Standard / IANS; Indo-Asian News Service; 2014-12-26.
- The story that brought a tear to a General’s eye ↗ — Rediff; Devidas Deshpande; 2016-12-03.
- A few good men and the angry sea ↗ — Rediff; Nitin Gokhale; 2015-01-05 (last updated; original URL dated 2015-01-02).
- A Few Good Men and the Angry Sea: How the IAF regained a lost paradise ↗ — Rediff; Abhishek Mande; 2015-05-27.
- Book chronicles life of fighter pilot ↗ — The Tribune; Tribune News Service; 2016-10-27.
- IAF veteran from Chandigarh pens book on 1971 war, Kargil conflict ↗ — The Tribune; Tribune News Service; 2022-11-05 (updated; event on 4 Nov).
Additional book reviews and reader responses
- “Born to Fly” by Nitin Sathe — the saga of M P Anil Kumar ↗ — Rajesh Govindarajulu, SimpliCity; 2018-04-01.
- Reader review of Up in the Sky: Helicopter Stories ↗ — Swetha Amit, Goodreads; 2020-12-16.
- Reader review of A Few Good Men and the Angry Sea ↗ — Swetha Amit, Goodreads; 2020-08-21.
The Goodreads entries are reader reviews, not magazine reviews. Swetha Amit also records having interviewed Nitin Sathe previously.
Media enquiries
For biography copy, photographs, book information or an interview enquiry, please use the contact form and include your publication, subject and deadline.
