Nav view search
Navigation
Search
Air Commodore Rajinder Pal Singh Dhillon
| Service No & Branch | 7741 F(P) (Orig: GD(P)) |  | ||||||||||||
| Date of Birth: 19 Aug 1944 | Commissioned: 28 Oct 1963 | Course: 85 Course | ||||||||||||
| Service End: | Retired on 31 Aug 1996 Superannuated Died on 04 Aug 2021 (77 Years age) | Nick Name : Tiger | ||||||||||||
| Qualifications Held : | ||||||||||||||
| Remarks : | ||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
Badges Qualified  | ||||||||||||||
| Google the Bharat Rakshak Website for : "R P S Dhillon" | ||||||||||||||
 Air Cmde | |||||
| Dates | Rank | Unit | Location | Appointment | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05 Dec 1975 - 06 Jun 1979 | Sqn Ldr | No.121 Helicopter Flight | Bombay | Commanding Officer | |
| 14 Aug 1981 - 08 May 1983 | Wg Cdr | No.117 Helicopter Unit | Commanding Officer | ||
| 09 May 1983 - 03 Jul 1985 | Wg Cdr | No.111 Helicopter Unit | Commanding Officer | ||
| 14 Oct 1985 - 03 Feb 1988 | Gp Capt | 30 Wing | Sarsawa (Saharanpur) | Station Commander | |
| 13 May 1991 - 29 Dec 1992 | Air Cmde | 21 Wing | Leh | Air Officer Commanding | |
| 01 Jan 1993 - 01 Jan 1995 | Air Cmde | Central Air Command | Allahabad | Air-II | |
| Incomplete Information? Additions? Corrections? Please download Template File and follow instructions. | |||||
Awards and Decorations
Number of Awards: 2
| Shaurya Chakra | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sqn Ldr | Rajinder Pal Singh Dhillon | 7741 F(P) | Award Date 24 Jan 1975 | Announced 01 Jul 1975 |
| Details : | Squadron Leader Rajinder Pal Singh Dhillon (7741) was commissioned in the Flying (Pilot) Branch of the Indian Air Force in November, 1962. He has been serving as the Flight Commander of a Helicopter Unit since March, 1974. On the 24th January, 1975, he was detailed to carry out the earth quake relief operations in Himachal Pradesh. The weather on this day was extremely inclement and the hostile terrain made flying efforts an extremely hazardous. With a deep sense of devotion, relentless zeal and determination, he executed his task with true professionalism. Throughout that day he braved and battled against weather and terrain and delivered his vital loads of relief material and evacuated those in need of urgent medical attention. During subsequent missions, he executed daring landings at untried helipads and precision drops at miniature Dropping Zones. During these operations he flew a total of 32 stories and airlifted and large quantities of material which resulted in timely relief to the affected people. Throughout, Squadron Leader Rajinder Pal Singh Dhillon displayed courage, professional skill and devotion to duty of a high order. | |||
| Unit : | ||||
| Reference : Gazette of India , 1st May 1976 - No.34 - Pres/76 dated 1st July 1975 | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sqn Ldr | Rajinder Pal Singh Dhillon | 7741 F(P) | Award Date | Announced 26 Jan 1978 |
| Details : | Squadron Leader Rajinder Pal Singh Dhillon has been commanding a Helicopter Flight since 5th December, 1975. During his tenure, the unit has undertaken ever-increasing commitments in connection with the Oil and Natural Gas Commission's off-shore tasks, the successful completion of which have brought laurels to the Air Force. Undeterred by the shortage of pilots, Squadron Leader Dhillon himself took the heavy flying commitments and carried out 600 hours of flying on support mission in connection with the drilling operations of the Oil and Natural Gas Commission. As Unit Commander, Squadron Leader Dhillon ensured all personnel under him worked as a team and completed all tasks assigned to them to the complete satisfaction of the higher authorities. He has flown over 150 sorties on duties connected with the transportation of dignitaries in far-flung areas of the country as well as abroad. He has to his credit a total of 5,200 hours of flying on jets and helicopters. Squadron Leader Rajinder Pal Singh Dhillon thus displayed professional competence, leadership and devotion to duty of an exceptional order. | |||
| Unit : 121 HF | ||||
| Reference : Gazette of India dated 22nd December 1979 - No.67- Pres/79 dated 26th January 1978 | ||||
Accidents and Incidents: 1
| Date | Aircraft Type | Tail No | Pilot/Crew | Unit | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Jun 1992 | Cheetah SA-315 | Z-3151 | Wg Cdr Dilip Dinkar Mandpe Air Cmde Rajinder Pal Singh Dhillon | 114 HU | DNE. |
Additional Notes
| Remarks: from N M Dhavle Note added: 0000-00-00 |
| Fali and I had taken a (Comn. Sqn.) MI-8 to Sarsawa for a planned airlift of some Russian Generals from Dehradun. We landed in Sarsawa, shut down on one of the dumbells. The Stn. Cdr had sent a car to take us to his office. Our Flt Engr, MWO Rajagopal (ex-Super Connies) remained with the aircraft. However when we reached the Stn. Cdr's office, his PA told us that he had just stepped out for an 'urgent matter' and will be back shortly. The Stn. Cdr was none other than Gp. Capt. Tiger Dhillon- a legend amongst the chopper community. The PA then served us coffee and we settled down to wait. No activity and it was all very silent. We were nearly done with our coffee when we heard a MI-8 go overhead! It didn't strike me as strange but moments later Fali reacted 'S---, he's taken our aircraft'!! We left the coffee and raced to the Dumbell- sure enough our Mi-8 was not there! It arrived after completing a circuit and Tiger came out with a most impish smile on his face, as only he could! Well, another coffee in the stn. Cdr's office and things were smoothed out. |
| Remarks: Fali Major Note added: 0000-00-00 |
| Continuing with the many RPS exploits, the one which left this Chopper legend totally ashen faced & panicky was engineered by another legendary Chopper Flt Engineer - MWO Sansar Singh. Whenever these two were on board, you were almost always assured of a memorable flight! We were on a drop+land flight in a M-8 in the Gurez sector, ex-Srinagar. We were to heli-drop some load on a helipad & then proceed to another for a landing sortie to bring back some Army personnel to Gurez. We had on board an Army Captain, who was going back to his Unit, where we were to land. The heli-drop was uneventful and as were setting course for the other helipad, Sansar Singh opens the cockpit door, looks back, winks at me & tells RPS that he can't see the Army Captain and also the Flt Gnr in the cabin confirming this on intercom....I will never forget the look on RPS' face! He took over controls from me, whipped the Hptr around & asked me to look around for a landing space. I couldn't help but burst out laughing & confess that Sansar & I had planned this, & that the Captain was safe. What followed was an unstoppable barrage of the choicest Punjabi abuses till we landed at the helipad! This was the only time in my many years of association with the legendary RPS, that I saw him panic! |
| Remarks: B K Karambaya Note added: 0000-00-00 |
| He was posted to No 20 Sqn, sometime in 1973-74. He hardly did any flying as the Hunter Trainer was unserviceable for most of his tenure. He had his opinion of fighter pilots..to Quote...' tum fighter pilots sab kukar hain..din main office main sirf party aur ladki ki baat karta hain aur raat ko, bar main haat se 1 vs 1 karta hain ' |
| Remarks: N Menon Note added: 0000-00-00 |
| We were in Iraq together for some time. The Iraqis were to provide washing machines and vacuum cleaners as per contract. When RPS came, the Iraqis took some time to deliver these appliances to Indians. But Indians were nevertheless expected to fly three instructional sorties every day. After waiting for a couple of days, RPS flew just one instructional sortie and told the Iraqi Flt Cdr that he had finished three sorties and was heading home. The perplexed Iraqi said, "You have only done one sortie. You have to fly two more." RPS replied, " I have flown one sortie here. Now I will go home and fly second sortie vacuuming the house. Then I will fly third sortie washing clothes of my family. So I have completed three sorties and I am going home." The Indians got their washing machines and vacuum cleaners the next day ! |