Details : | Group Captain Chelikani Upendra Venkat Rao (25087) F(P) was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Flying branch of Indian Air Force on 20 Jun 98. The officer is a Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI), and Instrument Rating Instructor and Examiner (IRIE) and an alumnus of the prestigious Defense Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington. He has successfully completed tenures as a Flight Commander and Commanding Officer of Su-30MKI fighter squadrons with over 3300 hours of flying experience. He is one of the few pilots in Indian Air Force who is qualified on all possible roles including the Low Level Aerobatics display on Su-30MKI aircraft, and has show cased his ability in two occasions of the prestigious air show - 'Aero India', in 2015 and 2017. Wing Commander Rao was tasked to take over the Command of a Su-30MKI squadron at a very short notice and under trying circumstances. Against many odds, the officer took over the task diligently and, with his dynamic leadership, changed the environment and brought up the morale of the unit to new heights. His foresight and pragmatic approach raised the squadron's performance to very high standards. The Unit was chosen to participate in Ex-Red Flag Alaska 16-1 in USA, and Ex-Desert Eagle" in UAE. The Sqn achieved 100% mission accomplishment in Ex-Red Flag and performed exceptionally well in both Within Visual Range (WVR) and Beyond Visual Range (BVR) combat. As Commanding officer he has ensured good work ethos and conducive atmosphere. This enabled the squadron to produce outstanding results. High Altitude Operations from Leh, trials to validate the feasibility of attacks over High Altitude Range at Pang, Low Visibility Operations and Single Cockpit Operations are a few notable examples. For exceptional devotion to duty, Hon'ble President is pleased to award Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to duty) to Group Captain Chelikani Upendra Venkat Rao. |