Air Commodore Mulk Raj was commissioned in the Air Force on 12th August, 1943. He has held various staff and field appointments with distinction. As Medical Officer at the Air Force Academy, he showed promise in the field of Aviation Medicine pertaining to problems of flying training. In 1957, he was the first IAF Medical Officer to be selected for appointment as Senior Medical Officer at the National Defence Academy, Kharakvasala. There he made various improvements and converted the local section hospital into a full fledged independent hospital which saved considerable training hours for the cadets. AVSM 1979

He graduated from the Defence Services Staff College in 1959 and was amongst the first few in his Branch who specialised in Aviation Medicine. During this period he did a project study on “Fighter Cockpit Space", the parameters of which were useful in the design of the cockpit of the jet trainer aircraft. As an Aviation Medicine Specialist, he held the important assignments as Officer Commanding Aero­Medical Unit and in the Directorate of Flight Safety. Thereafter, he was posted as Senior Medical Officer of two major flying stations. In all these appointments he acquitted himself creditably. In 1969, he was posted Deputy Director of Medical Services (Personnel) in Air Headquarters where he made valuable contributions towards career prospects of Medical Officers of the Indian Air Force and towards establishment of the present specialist cadre in the Army Medical Corps. He held the charge of the Command Hospital Bangalore in the rank of Group Captain. His professional skill and sympathetic approach, earned him a high reputation and esteem of the patients. His administrative and organising abilities also raised the efficiency of the hospital to a high level of performance. It was he who, for the first time, introduced the concept of polyclinic for outpatients in Service hospitals.

His present tenure as the Principal Medical Officer of Western Air Command is his fourth assignment in a Command in the same capacity. During his current tenure, he has utilised his wide experience to motivate his medical Officers to have a positive approach in the execution of their duties. This has paid handsome dividends in the form of low rates of preventable diseases, the high standards of hygiene and sanitation and the efficient working of Maternity and Child Welfare Centre in the Command. He has also ensured that all Medical Officers are closely involved in the Flight Safety Programmes of units. His personal involvement in keeping the aircrew fit, considerably improved the operational efficiency of units and kept the accident rate down.

Air Commodore Mulk Raj has thus rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Air Commodore Johney William Greene was commissioned in the Indian Air Force in 1951. He specialised in fighter operations as Pilot Attack Instructor and Day Fighter Leader. Later in 1965, he received training as a specialist in flight safety and has since devoted much of hit attention towards improving safety in the Air Force. He has held several important command and staff appointments, including command of three fighter squadrons and an operational Wing. He served as Director of Flight Safety at Air Headquarters. He has held all these posts with exceptional competence.

He took an active part in the Goa operations and the 1962 operations. He was awarded Vir Chakra for bravery, in 1965 and Vayu Sena Medal for his role in the 1971 Conflict. In all these operations, he displayed exemplary capabilities of his flying skill and leadership.

As Senior Air Staff Officer, No. 1 (Operational) Group, Air Commodore Greene has, with his professional skill and experience, enhanced the operational capability of the combat and support elements of the forces under his Group and improved their flight safety record. He has also made significant contributions in the fields of fighter tactics, standard operating procedures and flight safety. His meticulous planning and remarkable capacity to find viable solutions to problems has won or him the confidence and admiration of his superiors and the esteem of his subordinates.

Air Commodore Johney William Greene has thus rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Air Commodore Man Singh was commissioned in the Indian Air Force 1951 and has since held many imports assignments, including the command of fighter squadron, two air staff appointments in Command Headquarters and the command of two operational Wings. He was awarded Vayu Sena Medal in 1971 for his professional skill and contributions towards conduct of operations in December, 1971. Again in January, 1973, he was awarded Vishisht Seva Medal for render distinguished service of a high order.

In 1976, he took over command of a major fighter Wing and, within a short span of 20 months, transformed it dynamic and operationally oriented base, a number of viable welfare and infused a new spirit among the personnel at the station.

The Wing commanded by Air Commodore Man Singh is the base for an aircraft which had been plagued with various maintenance problems, resulting in a poor rate of utilisation. He worked with dedication throughout 1977 to improve the serviceability and utilisation rate of the aircraft and achieved a breakthrough in October that year. Thereafter, all the squadrons have consistently achieved the authorised flying tasks and a high standard of operational preparedness. The particular aircraft fleet is now a viable strike element of the Force which was amply demonstrated during the Air Force Fire Power Demonstration at Tilpat in 1978. It was due to his unflinching dedication and the result­oriented approach to problems that he brought the standard of performance of his station at par with the best in the Air Force.

Air Commodore Man Singh has thus rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Air Commodore Kanwal Krishan Malik was commissioned in the Indian Air Force in 1952. He has been the commanding officer of an operational station in one of the sensitive areas since 1978. Earlier he commanded another operational station during 1976-77 and held important senior staff appointments, both at command and Air Headquarters. In all these assignments, despite limitations imposed by operational commitments and weather conditions, he was able to ensure high standards of operational readiness, and creditably performed all tasks assigned to him. In recognition, he was award the Vayu Sena Medal in 1973.

When he took over the Command of an operational flying Station in May, 1976, a couple of fatal aircraft accidents had taken place at the station. For want of spares and repairs for periods varying from six months to two years, a large number of fighter aircraft were grounded. Air Commodore Malik formulated comprehensive maintenance plans and personally supervised the implementation of these plans at the Station level and through frequent visits to Base Repair Depots and Equipment Depots with the result that all these unserviceable aircraft were reclaimed for full operational flying within a year. This was a creditable achievement in that his was the only Station in the entire Command at that time which had no aircraft unserviceable for more than six months.

He achieved similar improvement in the serviceability of the supporting specials vehicles. He explored markets for spares and brought these vehicles to a serviceability state within a short period. Some of the maintenance and technical procedures and practices and local improvisation in regard to aircraft and supporting vehicles maintenance, which he had developed, were also introduced at other stations in the area which brought about substantial improvement in the level of flight safety in the command.

He took the same keen interest in the welfare of his men and undertook a number of welfare projects. It was due to his personal initiative that a building was constructed for housing a school on the campus which, in that remote station, was not only a great achievement but also helped in raising the morale of the personnel.

Air Commodore Kanwal Krishan Malik has thus rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Air Commodore Manjeet Singh Judge was commissioned in the Logistics Branch of the Indian Air Force in November 1949. Since then he has served with distinction in several important appointments at Equipment Depots, Commands and Air Headquarters. He was the Chief Equipment Officer of the largest Equipment Depot and later served as Deputy Director of Maintenance Planning at Air Headquarters. In both these assignments, he acquitted himself creditably. While he was the Chief Equipment Officer at the Equipment Depot, he ably planned and executed the stocks transfer of all ranges of sophisticated Electronics and aircraft spares. He also displayed outstanding administrative and organising ability when he was in command of a widely scattered Equipment Depot. During 1971 Conflict, despite very limited resources at his disposal, he provided very effective administrative support to the Units operating from that base. In recognition of his services, he was awarded Vishisht Seva Medal.

He is now in command of the largest Logistic Complex of the Indian Air Force holding over two lakh items. Recently, he successfully accomplished the important task of carrying out physical stock verification and identification of all the spares held in his Depot within a very short span of time

Air Commodore Manjeet Singh Judge has thus rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Group Captain Kumarapalayam Ramasubramanyam Natarajan was commissioned in 1952. He is a graduate of the Cranfield Institute of Technology and has held, with distinction, a number of important posts at flying stations, Base Repair Depots,

Command and Air Headquarters. In May, 1976, he was posted as the Senior Maintenance Staff Officer 1 (Operational) Group. The general state of serviceability in the Group, and the quality of maintenance management needed distinct improvement. His initial efforts to raise the level of the standard of maintenance in general and maintenance safety in particular led, within two years, to a creditable all round improvement in maintenance. Under his able guidance, a number of units in the Group were able to achieve 100 percent serviceability which is an outstanding achievement in the Air Force. He also brought down considerably the maintenance induced accident rate which he accomplished because of his clear understanding of the rooted ills that caused maintenance errors and lapses.

Group Captain Natarajan has all along displayed deep professional knowledge, an analytical approach to maintenance problems and ability to manage available resources to yield maximum results. He has enthusiastically shouldered every responsibility entrusted to him and has set an example to his colleagues by his dedicated hard work, disregarding his personal comfort. As the Senior Maintenance Staff Officer, he has provided the necessary dynamic leadership and sound professional direction. By his personal participation in all maintenance activities, he has gained the confidence of the units and has inspired them to achieve the highest standards of maintenance safety and discipline. The high serviceability state of aircraft and associated equipment have contributed significantly to the operational preparedness of the Group.

Group Captain Kumarapalayam Ramasubramanyam Natarajan has thus rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Group Captain Kshirode Krishan Sen was commissioned in the Indian Air Force on 1st April, 1953. He has held a variety of appointments during his long and distinguished career which was recognised by the grant of award of Vayu Sena Medal and Bar to Vayu Sena Medal. He was in Command of an operational Squadron during 1968-71 where he acquitted himself creditably. In January, 1976, when he took over Command of a major operational Station where pilots were trained for conversion on to fighter aircraft, there was a large accumulation of aircraft, awaiting inspection. By dint of his effective planning of the maintenance activities, he not only cleared the backlog of work within a few months but also succeeded in implementing comprehensive programme of job training for technical personnel which led to a great improvement in the maintenance standards of aircraft and safety of operations. These maintenance and operating procedures were even taken note of for adoption at other units.

He worked with similar zeal and ingenuity and ensured that the training schedule of pilots on conversion was adhered to despite the low serviceability of the training aircraft. He thus substantially contributed towards the operational readiness of the fighting element. In 1977, it was decided to activate an Air-to-Air live firing range for all the fighter squadrons of the Indian Air Force. This range was located within the jurisdiction of his Station which lacked many resources to meet the additional commitment. Despite these limitations, he met the assigned task to the entire satisfaction of all the operational Commands.

He introduced new welfare measures to make a congenial living at the base. He provided, among other amenities, additional married accommodation by converting, at very little cost, buildings fit for residential purposes, which had remained unoccupied for want of repairs. As a result, the morale of officers and men and civilian staff under his command has always been high.

Group Captain Kshirode Krishna Sen has thus rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Wing Commander Appakudal Jayaraman Srinivasan was commissioned in the Aeronautical Engineering (Mechanical) Branch of the Indian Air Force in 1955. He has served with distinction in a Base Repair Depot, in a Research and Development Establishment and in an operational unit. He has consistently exhibited outstanding qualities of leadership and has always been engaged in inventive activity requiring initiative, intelligence and perseverance. During his last tenure at Air Headquarters, he was incharge of a Project Team, entrusted with the task of establishment of facilities for overhaul of an aircraft, its aero­engine and aggregates.

In December 1971, there was urgent requirement for development of a system to improve the potentiality of a weapon in the Service. He volunteered to take up this assignment in addition to his normal duties. This job involved experimental work in the field un-explored in the country before. As leader of the team, he shouldered the responsibility of the overall design and development and, with his inventive mind, he solved innumerable problems. At a stage, where the prospects of the project looked bleak because of disheartening results, he steered the project to success.

Wing Commander Appakudal Jayaraman Srinivasan has thus rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Squadron Leader Sivaramakrishan Chandramouli has been serving with the Aircraft and System Testing Establishment as a Senior Test Instrumentation Engineer since January, 1972. Soon after his joining, the Unit was reorganised and its flight test commitments increased tremendously. Squadron Leader Chandramouli had no formal training as a test instrumentation engineer. By dint of hard work and deep study, he not only trained himself, but, in a short time, attained an exceptional level of proficiency in this highly specialised field. As more sophisticated aircraft and equipment were offered for trials, each task became a challenge as it posed its own special requirements of measuring

techniques and instrumentation. He successfully carried out these tasks by improvising and developing new techniques and working tirelessly totally unmindful of personal discomfort. He has done pioneering work in developing a technique to measure the effects of aerodynamic, inertial and firing loads on the suspension system of aircraft, with extremely limited resources. This enabled the carriage envelope of new stores to be fixed more accurately than hitherto. He has also carried out photographic modifications on a large number of aircraft which have been very successful in assessing release characteristics and trajectories of many new airborne stores. He is also responsible for electrical inter­phasing of new systems to the trial aircraft and many electrical modifications for the flight trials. He single handedly tackled many other tasks and was able successfully to fulfill all requirements in a short time and at a small expenditure.

Squadron Leader Chandramouli has also been directly responsible for instrumenting aircraft of the Test Pilot School and for the successful conduct of various test exercises by student officers. With his ingenuity, he has evolved a number of simple and highly successful techniques for evaluation of new electrical instruments and photo systems which have considerably improved the operational efficiency of the Air Force and performance of work in the Research and Development in the country.

Squadron Leader Sivaramakrishan Chandramouli has thus rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.