Wing Commander Teja Mohan Asthana (7672) Flying (Pilot) has been on the posted strength of Tactics & Combat Development & Training Establishment, AF since 24 Oct 83. This is the second tenure of this Officer in this Establishment where he had spent over 2 years earlier. During this tenure he has held the portfolios of officer i/c Operations, Officer i/c Development and is currently the Deputy Commandant of the Establishment.

During his tenure as the Officer i/c Development he has been the guiding spirit behind the sudden surge of development activity that this Establishment has undertaken since mid 1984. This was indeed a very sorely needed fillip to the Establishment which had got so involved with training flying that Development work had virtually ground to a halt. The Air Force felt the need for new ideas and concepts from this Premier Establishment, and in Wg Cdr TM Asthana we found the man to match this need. His untiring efforts, long hours of hard work and total dedication to the job at hand lifted this Establishment out of the doldrums. He has an absolutely professional approach and the patience born of knowledge which is so vital towards development work. During his tenure as O i/c Development this Establishment has completed trials on a number of Air Combat and Ground Attack aspects of operations which have changed out basic ideas of Combat and applied them to real time situations. His attention to detail and thoroughness has ensured that all these ideas have gone out to the Air Force in clear unequivocal terms.

There is no doubt that Wg Cdr TM Asthana is the guiding spirit behind the sudden renaissance of development work in this Establishment. For his professionalism, keenness, dedication and sheer hard work, the President is pleased to award VAYU SENA MEDAL to Wing Commander Teja Mohan Asthana.

Air Commodore Teja Mohan Asthana was commissioned on 15 Dec 1962. He was selected to undergo the Fighter Combat Leaders (FCL) Course at a very early stage. He excelled on the course and later served twice on the staff of Tactics and Air Combat Development & Training Establishment (TACDE), the premier establishment in the Air Force for the development of fighter tactics and for training fighter combat leaders. For his contribution in this field he was awarded Vayu Sena Medal in 1980. In between these two postings he was deputed to train the pilots of a friendly country. On his return to India he commanded a MiG21 squadron. He was then appointed Joint Director of Joint Operations at Air HQ. Air Cmde Asthana then commanded a frontline fighter base and was later specially selected to join the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection as its Joint Director. He served in this capacity for a year before becoming the Director of Air Staff Inspection, on promotion to Air Commodore. In these most demanding of appointments applied his vast professional knowledge and experience with understanding and maturity to help raise operational standards in the Air Force. He was then selected to command one of the premier and major forward fighter bases of the IAF. As Air Officer Commanding Air Force Station Adampur, he used the wealth of his experience to improve the operational standards of the combat units on his base as well as the performance of the support services. He also contributed in large measure to planning and participated in a Command level exercise.

Air Commodore Teja Mohan Asthana VM has, thus, rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Air Marshal Teja Mohan Asthana AVSM VM (7672) F(P) was commissioned in 1AF on 28 Oct 63 as a Fighter Pilot. He has flown over 3000 hours on a variety of fighter aircraft. During his distinguished career, he has held several important field and staff appointments and performed consistently well in all of them. After notable tenures in many fighter squadrons, he had a very fruitful and distinguished tenure on the staff of Tactics and Combat Development Establishment, wherein his contribution in the development of new combat tactics and training of pilots earned much recognition. Apart from commanding an operational squadron, he commanded two frontline fighter bases, in the staff appointment as Director Joint Op Planning, he made significant contribution in the formulation of joint policies between the three services. After graduating from the prestigious Royal College of Defence, UK, he was posted as the Air Officer Commanding Advance HO at Western Command. While commanding the Advance HQ, he played a key role in forging better interservices cooperation and promoting synergistic relations between the Air Force and Army. He was also instrumental in the establishment of joint policies for the conduct of operations, both during peace and conflict. As Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Ops) during the Kargil conflict, he played a pivotal role in exercising higher control in the conduct and co-ordination of all air operations.

As Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Personnel Officers), besides making a comprehensive and much appreciated presentation to the Arun Singh Task Force on Higher Defence Management on all aspects of personnel and cadre related issues, he also coordinated the inputs of various Branches and Directorates. The resultant reforms and devolution of administrative powers to the service HQs owe much to the personal efforts of Air Mshl Asthana. In his subsequent appointment as the Senior Air Staff Officer of an Operational Command, despite the short tenure of four months, he was able to register his mark by initiating tangible measures for combating complacency amongst the aircrew, thereby enhancing flight safety. In his present appointment as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (DCAS) since Dec 2000, he has been resolutely working towards expediting the acquisition of vitally needed capital equipment, and preventing the surrender of funds. Under his guidance and control, the Air Force prepared a wellresearched and logically structured 10th Plan document, which was much appreciated, and incorporated in the overall Defence Plan, without any alteration. As the DCAS, he has been maintaining a constant and healthy interaction at all echelons of the MOD and MOD (Fin), with complete focus and tenacity, to ensure that the modernisation of the Air Force does not suffer a setback due to inadequate utilisation of allotted resources. As a member of the Board of Directors of various PSUs, he has been able to put forth the Air Force viewpoint and objectives concisely, in periodical meetings. Similarly, in various Boards for the DRDO projects, he has been consistently highlighting the operational imperatives and providing inputs to keep the projects focused in the right direction.

Air Marshal Teja Mohan Asthana AVSM VM has thus rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.