Air Commodore Proteep Kumar Ghosh was commissioned as an Engineer in the Aeronautical Engineering (Electronics) Branch on 29 January 1963. He has held the appointments of Deputy Planning Officer in the Ministry of Defence, Command Systems Officer in Training Command, Command of Air Force Station Dalhousie, a Regional Air Defence Ground Environment System (ADGES) Maintenance Establishment (RAME) and a Base Repair Depot. As the first Commanding Officer of RAME at Guwahati Air Cmde PK Ghosh was responsible for overhaul and maintenance of Diesel Generating (DG) sets, air conditioning equipment and calibration of Test Equipment belonging to various ADGES and Flying units in the Eastern Sector. He had severe constraints in terms of manpower and equipment since the establishment for the unit was pending sanction from the Govt. Through his sound technical knowledge and leadership qualities he not only met all the assigned overhaul and calibration tasks, but also maintained over 85% average serviceability of DG sets in the field. Calibration of Test Equipment undertaken by him drastically reduced their down time in the field units. Further, during the flash flood at Hashimara and Panagarh in 1992, he averted total failure of the ADGES network through his timely technical assistance.

Air Cmde PK Ghosh was appointed the Air Officer Commanding of a Base Repair Depot (BRD) on 01 Feb 94. Though new to this assignment, he has already made a mark by indigenising a large number of critically required spares no longer available ex CIS countries. He also successfully contributed in bringing up the equipment at the Interim Test Range at Chandipur, facilitating the scheduled test launch of Agni Missile.

For distinguished service of high order, the President is pleased to award 'Vishisht Seva Medal' to Air Cmde Proteep Kumar Ghosh.

Air Marshal Proteep Kumar Ghosh VSM (7106) AE (L) is working as Senior Maintenance Staff officer at HQ Maintenance Command with effect from 24 May 99. Earlier in his career starting from 29 Jan 63, he has been recipient of several fellowships of different academic institutions, namely IETE and Telematics Forum of India. He also holds the membership of prestigious Indian Science Congress, Institution of Engineers (India) and Aeronautical Society of India. In his distinguished career he has held the key appointments such as Officer Commanding, Station Commander, Air Officer Commanding of a very important Base Repair Depot, Senior Maintenance Staff Officer of an operational command and ACAS (Sys) at Air Headquarters. Besides, he was Air Officerin­Charge Maintenance for two years before taking over as SMSO at HQ MC, IAF.

During the recent Op Safedsagar, when the situation warranted the modification of EW equipment on the Russian fighter aircraft and helicopters, he took up the challenge. With his professional competency and efficient leadership, he ensured completion of task in record time at the BRDs. He has also continuously stressed the need of making IAF self reliant with indigenization efforts, and has worked on it with a singular aim to reduce the foreign dependency to the minimum. The positive support of PSUs and other industries in this direction was successfully achieved with his enthusiastic approach, which have been of immense help in making significant progress toward indigenization and saving substantial amount of foreign exchange. Also, he has embarked upon the life extension programme for different types of ageing aircraft and their overhaul with indigenous capability. Under his guidance the Maintenance Depots have undertaken the modernization drive in IAF and the old infrastructure is being revamped by sophisticated modern stat of art technology machines in a phased manner.

Air Marshal Proteep Kumar Ghosh VSM has, thus, rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Air Marshal Proteep Kumar Ghosh AVSM VSM (7106) AE (L) is functioning as Director General, Radar and Communications Project Office (RCPO) with effect from 01 Aug 2000. In his distinguished service career of 38 years, he has held many important appointments such as Officer Commanding, Station Commander, Air Officer Commanding of a very important Base Repair Depot, Senior Maintenance Staff Officer (SMSO) of an operational Command, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (System) at Air Headquarters for two years, and SMSO at HQ Maintenance Command, IAF for 14 months, prior to taking over as Director General, RCPO. Earlier in his career starting from 29 Jan 63, he has been the recipient of several fellowships of different academic institutions, namely, IETE, Telematics Forum of India, and holds the memberships of prestigious Indian Science Congress, Institute of Engineers (India) and Aeronautical Society of India. For outstanding contribution in his field, he was awarded VSM in 1995, and subsequently, AVSM in the year 2000. During his tenure as Air Officer-in-Charge Maintenance at Air HQ, the Air Marshal was responsible for the entire maintenance and execution of weapons/spares procurement and maintenance of aircraft/systems, which had a decisive effect during the Kargil operations. Thereafter, he took the assignment as SMSO, Maintenance Command, and was deeply involved in modernisation and re-vamping of infrastructure at various repair agencies, and has given impetus to the indigenisation for achieving the self-reliance of the Nation. Under his leadership, RCPO has successfully completed the long outstanding Futuristic Automatic Data Handling Systems Project, which also helped in development of Radar Data Processor. This is his unique achievement as the DG RCPO, and his processor can be fitted in any Radar System to be developed by the country in future. Undoubtedly, this development will save the national exchequer millions of rupees in terms of foreign exchange.

Air Marshal Proteep Kumar Ghosh AVSM VSM has thus rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.