Air Vice Marshal Pondicherry Jayarao Jayakumar was commissioned in the Flying Branch of the Indian Air Force on 14 January 1956. He has held with distinction various field, staff and command appointments.

Air Vice Marshal Jayakumar was directly involved in the formulation of the new promotion policy and the new appraisal system during his tenure as JDPO at Air Headquarters. These have become the basic policy documents for Personnel Management of the Indian Air Force.

Air Vice Marshal Jayakumar is posted at Air Headquarters, as Director Joint Operation (Planning) since 1 September 1986. In this assignment, he has had to interact closely, and co­ordinate several operational matters with the other two Service Headquarters, at the highest, level. His total understanding and knowledge of Air operations, higher level of concept ional thinking, coupled with meticulous attention to detail, has not only resulted in improving the operational effectiveness of joint service operations, but he has enhanced the image of the service he represents.

In June 1987 he was involved in the planning and monitoring of mercy mission in Jaffna Peninsula. Working continuously, he was always available to render the right advice and take decisions. Later, during the operation in Sri Lanka, he set up and controlled the Operations Cell at Air Headquarters. With complete disregard for personal comfort, he stayed at his post, night and day. It was due to his selfless devotion to duty, presence of mind and indepth knowledge of all the issues involved, that during both these operations he could ensure safe, expeditious and totally successful completion of all tasks given to the Indian Air Force.

Air Vice Marshal Pondicherry Jayarao Jayakumar has thus rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Air Marshal PJ Jayakumar, AVSM (5037) Plying (Pilot) was commissioned in the IAF on 14 Jan 56 as a fighter pilot. Throughout his long and distinguished career he has held a variety of Command and Staff appointments of crucial importance. These included Command of a fighter Squadron and of an extremely sensitive fighter base, Director Air Defence and Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel at Air HQ and Senior Air Staff Officer at HQ Western Air Command. He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 1988.

A graduate of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the Air Officer Commanded a frontline fighter Squadron in 1974. Later, he was placed in Command of a very sensitive base at the border in 1982. During his Command additional operational units were inducted at his base. Displaying remarkable management abilities the Air Officer was able to make newly inducted units fully operational in the shortest possible time despite severe constraints of resources.

The Air Officer was appointed Commandant of College of Air Warfare in 1908 in the rank of Air Vice Marshal. The Air Officer provided a new dimension to the doctrines of Air Warfare through innovative thinking and guidance.

In addition to holding Command appointments, the Air Officer held several Staff appointments of crucial importance with equal ease and aplomb. As the Joint Director Personnel (Officer) at Air HQ in 1977, the Air Officer was instrumental, in formulating a new promotion policy and the appraisal system which has been the hallmark of manpower management of the officer Cadre of the IAF ever since. Further, the Air Officer displayed rare conceptual thinking, flair for meticulous planning and dedicated effort as the Director, Joint Operations. A graduate of the Command and General Staff Course of Voroshilov Academy of the USSR, the Air Officer was appointed Asst Chief of Air Staff (Inspection) in 1989. In this assignment the Air Officer was able to identify the crucial areas for improvement of a large number of operational units of the IAF through close monitoring and attention for details. Appointed Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel in the rank of Air Marshal in 1990, the Air Officer was able to establish an optimum interface between operational requirements and man-power policies.

As Senior Air Staff Officer of Western Air Command the Air Officer provided a fresh insight into the operational plans and their modes of implementation. The Air Officer presently holds the vital appointment of Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command. In this appointment the Air Officer brings to bear his vast operational and Staff experience to maintain this Command in the peak operational readiness.

Air Marshal Pondicherry Jayarao Jayakumar AVSM has thus rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.