Air Vice Marshal Deepak Kumar Sen (11915) Aeronautical Engineering (Electronics) was commissioned as an engineer in the erstwhile Tech Signals Branch of the 1AF on 05 Jan 1970. After having undergone the Intra Branch Conversion Course at Air Force Technical College, Bangalore in 1972-73, he was converted to the Aeronautical Engineering (Electronics) Branch. In 33 years of distinguished service, he has held several important command and staff appointments which include Chief Engineering Officer of a Fighter Base, Command Engineering Officer at South Western Air Command, Command Systems Officer at Western Air Command and Commanding Officer of an Electronic Warfare (EW) Maintenance and Training Unit. He has undergone Anti Tank Guided Missile Simulator Course and Mirage 2000 course in France and Long Defence Management Course at College of Defence Management. In 1975, he led the Non Destructive Testing (NDT) Team in the retrieval of aircraft trapped in the hangars after the cyclone at Jamnagar, thus effecting a speedy retrieval of the vital strike force of the IAF. After undergoing training in France on maintenance and induction of the state-of-art Mirage-2000 aircraft, he made an outstanding contribution towards setting up of the required maintenance infrastructure for receiving and operating the Mirage-2000 fleet.

In 1995, while commanding a prestigious EW Maintenance and Training Unit, he designed, fabricated and operationalised DC control amplifiers for antenna rotation for one of the critically important ELINT airborne equipment, as vendor sources were nonexistent at that time. He also authored the IAF EW Maintenance Policy, and subsequently assisted in the evolution of the IAF Laser policy.

As Chief Engineering Officer during 19982000 at one of the premier air bases of the IAF, he designed a shock resistant trolley and had it fabricated in the base workshop for carrying sensitive photo-reconnaissance equipment thus drastically reducing damage to the sensitive gyro mechanisms during ground handling. His acute engineering sense and direction helped the station achieve the highest ever-sustained serviceability of the Jaguar fleet.

While Serving in Headquarters Western Air Command during 2003, he has been instrumental in realising the concept of online computerised management and monitoring of all armament stores to ensure currency and saving of time. Also, under his leadership and guidance, it has been possible to transport, install and operate indigenous radars successfully at high altitudes for the first time in Air Force history, greatly enhancing air surveillance capability of the IAF.

For his distinguished service of high order, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vishisht Seva Medal' to Air Vice Marshal Deepak Kumar Sen.