Group Captain Pooran Dev Adlakha was commissioned in the Accountant Branch on 17 November, 1956. A master of Commerce and MBA, the officer has also done Advance Accounts Course, Senior Defence Management Course, EDP Project Formulation and Budget Management Course. The officer has served with distinction as Senior Accountant Officer of four major Wings, an Equipment Depot and a Training Establishment. In 1971 he was appointed as Assistant Director Resettlement in the Mini stry of Defence and was responsible for rehabil itation of war-disabled soldiers and windows. With total dedication and resourcef ulness, the officer was highly success in substantially enlarging the avenues of resett lement and helping these unfortunate personnel to resettle themselves. As Group Accountant officer, by personnel involvement he not only achieved the audit objection targets set for the Group but also raised the state of accounting at units. He was then posted as incharge of Airman Pay Wing at Air Force Central Accounts Office where he tackled with commendable zeal and thoroughness the problem of debit balance in airmen's accounts.

In Feb 81 Group Captain Adlakha took over newly created post of Joint Director, Financial Planning. He took a leading part in the formulation Air Force Plan 80-85 and also improved information systems for monitoring the progress.

For having rendered distinguished service of exceptional order, the President is pleased to award 'Vishisht Seva Medal' to Group Captain Pooran Adlakha.

Air Commodore Pooran Dev Adlakha was commissioned in the Accounts Branch in November 1956. An MBA from Delhi University, during his 31 years of service, he has held a variety of important assignments, within the branch and outside.

After graduating from the National Defence College, he took over the command of Air Force Central Accounts Office in November 1984. He applied himself to his duties great sense of responsibility and dedication and with skillful management brought remarkable improvements in the accounting services provided to both serving and retired Air Force personnel.

With his originality of approach, he launched a massive programme of computerisation of all accounts. The task is expected to be completed two years ahead of targeted date and ultimately reduce pressure on manpower. This has also enabled him to issue pre­calculated arrears of pay statements for all airmen in respect of Fourth Pay Commission, which reached every unit well in time and ensured full payment to every airman. With commendable precision and thoroughness, he has also completed the second phase, through computer, where 1.3 lakhs pay fixation statements, for audit as well as issue to all airmen, have been printed.

With his downright keenness to get down to the brasstacks, he launched two exercises - “Exercise Credibility" for reducing the debit balances and “Exercise Samtushti" for clearance of outstanding non­effective accounts. In both these areas, he achieved near total success.

The reconciliation of Provident Fund Accounts of all Air Force personnel, a stupendous and mind boggling exercise, was faced by him head­on and accomplished, bringing credit to the organisation. This achievement bears an eloquent testimony to his result oriented, and not procedure­oriented approach.

Air Commodore Pooran Dev Adlakha, VSM has thus rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.