Wing Commander Prakash Pralhad Dani (12214) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned in the Air Force in Dec 69. He took over Command of a fighter Squadron on promotion, Nov 86.

The Squadron had been inspected by directorate of Air Staff Inspection in Jun 86, and was declared "Non Operational". On assuming Command of the Squadron, he accepted this poor inheritance as a challenge and directed his total attention towards the all round upliftment of the unit performance Under his able leadership the training of pilots was conducted and supervised in a highly systematic and professional manner. The overall operational capability of the Squadron was assessed by Inspection team in Nov. 87 and the Squadron was awarded an 'Average Plus' overall grading. This was the third Squadron in Air Force to be assessed as such in the last two years. This success of converting a "Non Ops" Squadron to one of the best Squadrons of the year could be attributed to his professional involvement.

The Squadron was assigned an additional task of training newly commissioned pilots since January. 87. The complete training till date was carried out well within the stipulated time frame for each course. Under his guidance all the trainee pilots were declared 'Fully Operational' and were rated 'White'.

For his professional skill and dedicated hard work, the President is pleased to award Vayu Sena Medal to Wing Commander Prakash Pralhad Dani.

Group Captain SP Ojha was commissioned in the IAF as Flying (Pilot) on 02 Jun 73 and has since flown over 3000 hours on SU-7, MiG-25 and MiG-21 ac. He is a Fighter Combat Leader, Qualified Flying Instructor and a graduate of Defence Services Staff College.

GP Capt SP Ojha took over the Command of a MIG-21 (BIS) squadron based at Air Force Station, Srinagar on 26 Sep 93. Within two months of taking over the Command the squadron was inspected by Directorate of Air Staff Inspection and the squadron's performance was graded as highly satisfactory. This can be attributed to his professional competence, resourcefulness, leadership and administrative skill of a high order. Subsequently, during his Command, the squadron has been inspected twice by Aircrew Examining Board. The squadron performed very well during these inspections.

A very good flier, who despite adverse climatological and security environment and very frequent detachment commitments has been able to motivate the officers and men under his Command and maintained a high state of Operational preparedness. The squadron won the Western Air Command's 'Best Squadron of Year 1994' Trophy.

For exceptional devotion to duty, the President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Group Captain SP Ojha.

Wing Commander Suneel Shripad Soman (14681) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned in the Fighter stream of Flying (Pilot) branch of the Indian Air Force on 29 December 76. During his meritorious service he has excelled in many fields gaining fully Op status on two fighter aircrafts. He is qualified Flying Instructor holding A-2 category and has been the Chief Instructor at the Flying Instructors School. He served as the Assistant Defence Advisor in Dhaka. Bangladesh from September 90 to May 94. He distinguished himself by producing a prize winning dissertation on Indo-Bangladesh affairs during the DSSC course. Wing Commander Soman has been the Commanding Officer of a Fighter Squadron since November 96. The task of the unit is to train the budding fighter pilots of the IAF. He assumed the command of the squadron just after the unit relocated at a new base that was reactivated after a long gap. The repair of operational and maintenance infrastructure had not yet reached the desired standard. Wing Commander Soman utilised his vast experience and outstanding leadership to recommence flying training within a very short duration. Simultaneously, he set about organising the maintenance facilities to ensure a constant availability of aircraft to sustain Squadron's flying effort. The net result was that the flying training was completed within the stipulated time frames. With his personal example and zealous application of his professional acumen Wing Commander Soman has been able to ensure a high standard of flying training to the ab-initio fighter pilots of Indian Air Force.

For outstanding professionalism, exemplary qualities of leadership, sustained hard work, commitment and involvement, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Suneel Shripad Soman.

Wing Commander Shyam Bihari Prasad Sinha (16053) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned in the Flying Branch on 15 Jun 80. He has 3600 hours of accident free flying to his credit. The officer has held the appointments of Flight commander of a MiG-21 squadron and Chief Flying Instructor at a Flying Training Establishment. He is a Cat-A-2 Qualified Flying Instructor and an Air Force Examiner. He is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College. He has been commended by the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command and by the Chief of the Air Staff.

Wg Cdr Sinha has been posted as Commanding Officer of a MiG Operational Training Squadron since 07 Dec 98. Operational Conversion Training on fighter aircraft is an unenviable task, given the inexperience of ab-intio trainees. Early in his tenure, Wg Cdr Sinha assessed the demands of this exacting task. Through concerted efforts and effective leadership, Wg Cdr Sinha ensured prompt task completion, enabling MOFT courses to pass out on time. The exceptional flight safety record enjoyed by the squadron, inspite of the intense training environment, speaks volumes of the Commanding Officer's deep personal involvement. Staff Pilot training was also accelerated to ensure 100% operational and instructional clearance. All this was achieved by leading from the front through personal example. Despite the preoccupation of his appointment, the Commanding Officer has held the distinction of flying the maximum number of sorties in his squadron.

Driven by the singular aim of improving aircraft availability, he addressed the issue of a large number of AOGs. Through effective liaison with higher formation and HAL, he accelerated the clearance of his Squadron AOG demands. Effectively utilising his managerial skills and excellent interpersonal relations, he raised the productivity of his technical staff. The end result was a sustained high serviceability, occasionally touching 100%. His genuine concern for his men and his orientation towards morale, resulted in a large number of welfare measures in his Squadron. He has been an exemplary leader.

For his exceptional devotion to duty, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Shyam Bihari Prasad Sinha.