Air Commodore Ripu Daman Sahni (3867), Flying, (Pilot) was commissioned in the Air Force in April, 1950. During his long service career, he has held a number of important assignments with distinction. He was the first transport pilot to be selected to undergo a Test Pilot's Course at the Empire Test Pilots' School in the U.K.

Air Commodore Sahni, who attained the highest professional qualifications as a transport pilot and as a flying instructor very early, was assigned to the unit responsible for rating and validation of pilots and flying instructors. He categorised over 150 pilots during that assignment. During this period, he was instrumental in drafting a document, standardising air transport operations. The measures suggested by him immensely contributed in improving the operational effectiveness of the transport force. He was intimately associated with flight development, evaluation and testing of aircraft. Starting with production testing, including the first indigenously built HS-748, he took over as the Chief Test Pilot of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited where he was intimately associated with the development of Marut and Kiran aircraft and prototype testing of the Marut Trainer. It was through the discerning investigations carried out by a Technical Team headed by him that apprehensions regarding the use of HS-748 as a public transport, were allayed.

After the Indo-Pak Conflict, 1971, Air Commodore Sahni was appointed the leader of a team of specialists to assess the effectiveness and achievements of our Air Force in the Conflict. Under his guidance and through meticulous and incisive research, the team was able to establish facts which formed the basis of a number of lessons of strategic operational importance.

As Commandant of Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment from 1974 to 1977, Air Commodore Sahni displayed excellent organisational ability and played a major role in upgrading the strike capability of combat aircraft through adaptation of modern sophisticated systems on the existing fleet. Through his pioneering work and untiring efforts, a Fixed Wing Experimental Test Pilots' Course was started at Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment. The introduction of this course reflects the professional excellence achieved by this Establishment. This has also helped in saving considerable amount of foreign exchange. Air Commodore Sahni has taken over as Director of Projects at Air Headquarters and has been monitoring and directing major indigenous projects. In his long service, he has acquired 6225 hours of flying experience on 50 different types of aircraft of which 1500 hours relate to test flying. This is a glowing testimony of his outstanding airmanship, skill and competence.

Air Commodore Ripu Daman Sahni has thus rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Air Marshal Ripu Daman Sahni, was commissioned in the Flying Branch of the Indian Air Force in 1950. In his long and distinguished career, spread over 35 years, he has held important Command as well as Staff appointments including command of an operational air base in the Western Sector. Subsequently, he graduated from the National Defence College and has since been assigned several important staff assignments where he put into use his rich experience, competence, meticulous planning and professional expert ise in such a manner that difficult tasks were accomplished to the entire satisfaction of the Air Force.

On promotion to the rank of Air Marshal in January 1984 he took over charge as Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel at Air Headquarters at a time when a number of schemes of far reaching implications relating to career prospects of Air Force personnel were to be implemented. It was mainly due to his excellent leadership, clear and far-sighted guidance and deep sense of personal involvement that often apparently conflicting situations were resolved expeditiously and smoothly in his typically quite and efficient manner. He also made valuable contributions towards acceptable and workable solutions to the twin problems of stagnation and supersession that the Air Force has had to face in recent years.

As Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command, by his dynamic leadership and outstanding management of resources, he has enabled the Command to fulfill all its operational tasks despite diminishing spares. Yet another landmark of his current tenure is re-equipment of a number of Central Air Command squadrons, with Sutlej, Gajraj and Vajra aircraft. This task involved dexterous handling and has been executed in a commendable manner. This has significantly enhanced the operational capabilities of not only his Command but also the entire Air Force.

Air Marshal Ripu Daman Sahni, AVSM, has rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.