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Air Vice Marshal Harpal Singh Ahluwalia

Service No & Branch 9821 F(P) (Orig: GD(P)) Stream :Helicopters
Date of Birth: -- --- ---- Commissioned: 16 Oct 1965 Course: 94 Course
Service End: Retired on 31 Jul 2003 Superannuated Flying Hours : 5000 Nick Name :
Qualifications Held :
Remarks :
Promotions Gazetted
Fg Offr : 16 Oct 1966Wg Cdr : 30 Aug 1985Gp Capt : 12 Oct 1988Acting Air Cmde : 09 Feb 1996
Air Cmde : 27 Mar 1995AVM : 01 Sep 2000
Training and Other Courses Attended
34 DSSC (Sqn Ldr) - 25 Nov 1978
Badges Qualified
 
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Sqn Ldr
Air Cmde
Notes:1)Branch is at retirement and may not match with branch at Commission 2)Notional seniority is reflected in dates of substantive rank.

Appointments, Postings & Other Service Particulars

DatesRankUnitLocationAppointmentPhoto
16 Oct 1965 - 01 May 1969Plt OffrNo.110 Helicopter UnitKumbhigram Squadron Pilot
01 May 1969 - 01 Apr 1970Fg OffrNo.107 Helicopter UnitJodhpur Squadron Pilot
01 Apr 1970 - 01 Oct 1970Flt LtC&R SchoolJodhpur Fighter Controller Course
01 Oct 1970 - 01 May 1972Flt Lt257 Signal UnitBagdogra Fighter Controller
01 May 1972 - 01 Jan 1974Flt LtNo.109 Helicopter Unit Squadron Pilot
01 Jan 1974 - 01 Mar 1976Flt LtNo.105 Helicopter Unit Squadron Pilot
01 Aug 1976 - 31 Dec 1977Flt Lt12 WingChandiagrh Ops Adj
01 Mar 1976 - 01 Aug 1976Sqn LdrNo.119 Helicopter Unit Squadron Pilot
01 Dec 1978 - 01 Jan 1983Sqn LdrAir Head QuartersDelhi ADASR
01 Jan 1983 - 01 Apr 1984Wg CdrAFS KumbhigramKumbhigram Chief Operations Officer
01 Apr 1984 - 10 Oct 1986Wg CdrDefence Services Staff CollegeWellington Directing Staff
13 Oct 1986 - 14 Jun 1987Wg CdrNo.105 Helicopter UnitChabua Commanding Officer
16 Jun 1987 - 02 Jul 1989Gp CaptNo.129 Helicopter UnitHindan Commanding Officer
01 Jul 1989 - 01 Apr 1990Gp CaptCollege of CombatMhow HCC no 18
01 Apr 1990 - 10 Dec 1992Gp Capt19 WingBorjhar (Guwahati) Chief Operations Officer
14 Dec 1992 - 23 Jan 1996Gp CaptEmbassy of India, ThailandBangkok Defence Attache
09 Feb 1996 - 01 Oct 1997Air CmdeDefence Services Staff CollegeWellington Head of Training Team (Air)
15 Oct 1997 - 19 Sep 1999Air Cmde21 WingLeh Air Officer Commanding
01 Oct 1999 - 31 Aug 2000Air Cmde4 Air Force Selection BoardVaranasi President
01 Sep 2000 - 09 Jun 2002AVMMaritime Air OperationsBombay Air Officer Commanding
10 Jun 2002 - 31 Jul 2003AVMNational Defence CollegeDelhi Senior Directing Staff (Air)
 
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Awards and Decorations


Number of Awards: 2
  
Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)
Flt LtHarpal Singh Ahluwalia9821 F(P)Award Date 22 Oct 1974Announced 01 Jul 1975
Details : Flight Lieutenant Harpal Singh Ahluwalia was commissioned in the Flying (Pilot) Branch of the Indian Air Force in October, 1965. He has flown a total of 2250 hours end has an unblemished flying record, On the 22nd October 1974. he was detailed to undertake special heliborne operations in the Eastern Sector. He carried out sorties to far-flung helipads in two days of intensive flying, despite adverse weather. Subsequently, when the unit was again called upon to carry out heliborne operations during December, 1974 and January, 1975 he flew a total of 260 sorties which resulted in successful completion of the operations. During these operations. Flight Lieutenant Harpal Singh Ahluwalia displayed courage, professional skill and devotion to duty of a high order.
Unit : 105 HU
Reference : Gazette of India dated 1st May 1976 - No.36 - Pres/76 dated 1st July 1975
Yudh Seva Medal
Gp CaptHarpal Singh Ahluwalia9821 F(P)Award Date 26 Jan 1990Announced 26 Jan 1990
Details :

Group Captain Harpal Singh Ahluwalia VM was commissioned in the Indian Air Force on 16 Oct 65. in Jul 87, he was entrusted with the responsibility of raising a new Mi-17 Helicopter unit.

Within a week of the formation of the unit, Gp Capt Ahluwalia led a detachment to Sri Lanka for OP PAWAN. Gp Capt Ahluwalia led his helicopters in heliborne operations around Jaffna Peninsula and deeper into the jungles of Vavuniya, opening up the area for Indian troops. In Sep 87, his unit was inducted for OP MEGHDOOT and took on the brunt of the task when Pakistan attacked in the Siachen Glacier. Gp Capt Ahluwalia also carried out an emergency relief operation for 600 Border Road laboureres stranded in freak snow storms in Bara-La-Chala in Himachal Pradesh during Oct 87.

Gp Capt Ahluwalia's professional skill and his leadership qualities enabled his unit to win both the best Overall performance Helicopter Unit Trophy for 1987-88 and the IAF Flight Safety Trophy for the Best Helicopter unit for 1988-89.

For his exceptional devotion to duty, dynamic leadership and especially for his operational work in OP PAWAN and OP MEGHDOOT, the President is pleased to award Yuddh Seva Medal to Gp Capt Harpal Singh Ahluwalia VM.

Unit :
Reference : GoI19900126
The data in the header section of this page comes from the Gazette of India - Click here to see the source
The URL for this page is http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/9821
Note: All the data available here is publicly available in the Gazette of India, published by the Indian Government, or from public domain sources, press releases about Awards and Right-To-Information (RTI) Requests. Additionally data shared by veterans is added to the page with permission. No data with respect to serving officers below the rank of AVM is displayed. Information in Gazette of India and Award citations and photographs as released by the Indian Air Force are the only details displayed.