Sergeant Krishna Chandra Jha was recruited into the Indian Air Force in the technical stream and trained as a technician before undergoing specialist training as a flight engineer. In August 1996, he was serving with 130 Helicopter Unit and was deployed on air-maintenance operations in the Operation Meghdoot area. On 26 August 1996, he served as the flight engineer aboard an Mi-17 assigned to carry out an air-maintenance sortie for Indian Army posts on the south-western side of the Siachen Glacier. After the supplies were dropped, the helicopter was engaged by enemy fire and received a direct hit before crashing in the icy mountains. Sergeant Krishna Chandra Jha, together with Flight Lieutenant Sandeep Jain, Pilot Officer Vaibhav Bhagwat and Sergeant Rudresh Murigappa, made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. He was subsequently mentioned in despatches posthumously for his service in Operation Meghdoot.