Squadron Leader Praveen Kumar S Patil (16981) Logistics, a Graduate of National Defence Academy was originally commissioned as a Fighter Pilot on 29 Dec 82. He has 1730 hrs of accident free flying on MiG-21 variants to his credit. He has now been placed in permanent low medical category due to a medical disorder. After a very successful tenure as SFSIO of Air Force Station, Sirsa he has been taken on the posted strength of a Command HQ with effect from 08 Feb 99 and is functioning as Project Leader TADIDS (Tactical Air Defence Integrated Display System).

He was entrusted with the task of developing TADIDS nearly two years ago. This was a complex and sensitive task involving Air Defence of the Nation and the solutions were not simple. The officer burnt the mid night oil and succeeded in developing TADIDS at no cost to the exchequer by intelligently integrating the existing hardware and resources available with the Command. TADIDS was thus born and turned out to be a futuristic, world class, windows based, multimedia, user friendly, near real time, interactive and secured Internet software that the IAF was desperately looking for all these years.

TADIDS was then successfully field tested in 1998 in several exercises. The officer single handedly conducted the required on the job training on installation and operation of TADIDS in units involved in these exercise. On breakout of hostilities in the Kargil Sector, the officer was directed at short notice to make TADIDS operational for the Northern Sector, which he successfully accomplished within the available resources and time frame.

For his successful innovative work and dedication to duty, the Hon'ble President is please to award 'Vishisht Seva Medal' to Squadron Leader Praveen S Patil.