Air Marshal Rajendra Kumar Dhawan was commissioned in the Indian Air Force on the 17th July, 1954. A graduate of the National Defence College and Long Defence Management Course, a fighter Pilot of repute, he has held a wide variety of important command and staff appointments with distinction. He was entrusted with the command of a squadron to be re-equipped with a different variant of supersonic fighter aircraft in 1973, where he faced multiple problems of the new induction. He, however, overcame the problems with initiative, determination and innovative skill. Through untiring efforts, he created a nucleus from which the subsequent squadrons of similar types could be formed successfully. As Deputy Commandant of the Air Force Academy, he was instrumental in improving the training standards in respect of officer trainees of all branches. Later, he was appointed as the Commandant of the College of Air Warfare where he guided a number of studies to update air warfare doctrines and strategies. Promoted to the rank of Air Marshal in 1988, the Air Officer was appointed as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff at the Air HQrs. He guided and supervised an extensive in-house re-appreciation of the long-term re-equipment plan and the preparation of the draft outline of the VIII Plan of the Indian Air Force. His other achievement has been re-tailoring of the Air Force plans and schemes in conformity with expected allocation, without curtailing the process of building up the operational potential. In April 1990, he was posted as the Senior Air Staff Officer of an important Operational Command. In this appointment, his operational and staff experience continued to be of immense value. |