Inside the pocket, oxygen levels were dropping rapidly, carbon dioxide was building up, and the structural integrity of the roof was quickly deteriorating under pressure. Traditional rescue teams could not dive or navigate through the debris-laden, completely flooded main shafts.

With permission finally granted, Jaswant Singh Gill oversaw the fabrication of a steel capsule that would become his legacy. The capsule was a claustrophobic 7 feet high and a mere 22 inches in diameter. It was just wide enough to fit a single person, who would have to squeeze inside in a fetal position. The capsule was constructed within an astonishing 72 hours.

The Raniganj coal mine rescue remains a gold standard for emergency mining operations worldwide. November 16 was later declared 'Rescue Day' by Eastern Coalfields Limited to honor the achievement.

Conventional rescue methods, such as pumping out the water or digging parallel tunnels, were deemed too slow or dangerous due to depleting oxygen levels and unstable ground. Jaswant Singh Gill

gallons of water surged into the interconnected network of tunnels and shafts.

Gill quickly took charge of the situation. He assured the trapped miners that help had arrived and that they would all be rescued. He then began organizing the evacuation. Two men would go up in each trip; one would sit in the capsule, while the other would cling to a rope attached to the outside. Gill, showing immense composure and humanity, remained behind in the flooded mine, giving courage to the men as they waited for their turn. “You only get one life, you need to make it count…Everything happened so suddenly that no one had the time to think,” he would later recall.

For over six hours, the operation continued without a break. Gill stayed at the bottom the entire time, ensuring every single man was safely loaded into the capsule before him. At exactly 9:00 a.m. on November 16, 1989, Jaswant Singh Gill stepped into the capsule for the final time.

The rescue at Raniganj was hailed as a monumental achievement. Jaswant Singh Gill became a national hero, affectionately nicknamed "Capsule Gill" for his ingenious invention. In 1991, he was awarded the , India's highest civilian bravery award, by then-President R. Venkataraman. His feat was also recognized by the Limca Book of Records as the most successful and largest rescue operation in the history of Indian mining. In a fitting tribute to his selfless act, Coal India Ltd. declared November 16 as "Rescue Day," a day that is still observed to honor the spirit of courage and innovation that saved so many lives.