Air Marshal Hemant Ramkrishna Chitnis was commissioned in the Air Force in 1944. Besides holding several important Command and Staff appointments during his 36 years of service with the Air Force, he underwent several professional courses in India and abroad. He did his Flying Instructor's Course in U.K., Defence Services Staff College Course at Wellington and Senior International Defence Management Course at USA. He made effective use of the knowledge and experience gained by him during these training courses in his various Service assignments.

He commanded with distinction an Operational Squadron, a Flying Station and the Air Force Academy. His important Staff assignments at Air Headquarters include Joint Director Intelligence, Director of Flight Safety, Director of Training and Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Plans).

As Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Plans), he was responsible for forecasting, planning and formulating Air Staff requirements for new aircraft and equipment for the IAF. He made significant contribution in the preparation of the Five-Year (1978-83) Financial Role on Plan for the IAF and in planning for the Acquisition of Deep Penetration Strike Aircraft and Medium Transport Aircraft, and the Trials of Various Inertial Navigational Equipments.

As Commandant, Air Force Academy, he meticulously planned and organised his tasks and resources and ensured a high standard of training without a single fatal accident. On taking over as Air Officer Commandingin-Chief, Training Command, he re-oriented the training in the IAF on the basis of his vast experience as Instructor. While he ensured the highest standards of training necessary for the Operational Units, he also achieved the lowest wastage rate among trainee pilots. As Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Maintenance Command, he was responsible for the overhaul and repair of aircraft, aeroengines, airborne and ground equipments specialist vehicles. Through effective management of manpower and material resources, he significantly improved the output various Base Repair and Equipment Depots in his Command and thus ensured effective serviceability his Operational Units.

Air Marshal Hemant Ramkrishna Chitnis has thus rendered distinguished service of the most exception order.

Air Marshal Balwant Wickram Chauhan, AVSM (3352) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned in the Air Force in 1946. He was graded an above average Pilot on completion of his flying training and started his flying career on transport aircraft. He has so far flown 25 different types of aircraft including jets.

This Officer spent the early years of his flying career in Air Headquarters Communications Squadron where he was engaged in flying VVIPs within and outside India. He holds the distinction of being the first Indian Air Force Officer to obtain 'A' Category on transport aircraft. He is also the only officer of the Indian Air Force who has served with the Queen's Flight of the Royal Air Force. He was the leader of the Team for supply dropping trials from AVRO 748 aircraft in J & K and Ladakh. Air Marshal Chauhan has held various Command and Staff appointments with credit. As a member of the Aircrew Examining Board in the early days after its formation, he applied his professional skill and knowledge of aircraft in evolving sound testing procedures for aircrew, thereby ensuring the highest standards of flying amongst the flying crew of the Indian Air Force.

He has also served with distinction at an important establishment where, in addition to his normal duties involving supervision of operations, technical, equipment and administrative departments of his organisation, Air Marshal Chauhan undertook a number of difficult and risky operations, particularly in the 1971 operations against Pakistan when he flew 34 hours on special operational missions.

As Commandant of Air Force Academy, Air Marshal Chauhan with meticulous planning and utilisation of manpower, aircraft and equipment, ensured a very high standard of training.

With vast experience as an instructor both in the air and on the ground and having held important assignments, Air Marshal Chauhan, as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command, reshaped the training in the Indian Air Force and achieved laudable results. He has been instrumental in successfully increasing the intakes at the training establishments. Over his entire career as a Pilot and as a Staff Officer, Air Marshal Balwant Wickram Chauhan has established himself as a leader of men, an organiser and an administrator of a very high ability. He has always worked with a spirit of dedication and exemplary devotion to duty.

Air Marshal Balwant Wickram Chauhan has thus rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.

Air Marshal Erasseri Pathayaprayil Radhakrishnan Nair (3837) Flying (Navigator) joined the Air Force in April, 1950 and has completed 33 years of distinguished service. He has an excellent record of flying, with the highest flying rating of Category 'A' and Qualified Instructors' Category 'A2'. He has command the prestigious Unit Nav and Signal School. He has been Air Crew Examiner and has flown over 4500 hours in various roles like Maritime Support, Transport Support and Instruction.

In 973, he was specially selected to be the Base Commander of Air Force Academy and was directly responsible for not only administration of the station but also the rapid build up of the technical and operational facilities by the target date set for the inauguration of the Academy by the President, a task which he accomplished under the most trying conditions.

Subsequently Air Marshal Nair was appointed Senior Air Staff Officer of Headquarters Maritime Air Operations to shoulder the new and most important responsibility of planning and coordination of Air Operations in consultation with the Navy and executing the task of heli support to the ONGC, which he has been expanding at a very fast rate.

In December, 1975, after graduating from the National Defence College, he was appointed as the Senior Air and Admin Staff Officer, Headquarters Maintenance Command. Due to his personal example, tremendous capacity for sustained hard work and methodical approach, he established harmonious and effective management of men and material, which had direct bearing on serviceability and out put of operational units in the Air Force. After a stint as Senior Directing Staff at National Defence College, he was posted as Air Officer Incharge Administration. During his short stay of just eight months as AOA, he excelled in his spheres of responsibility covering organization, works services, legal duties, security and accounting services of the Air Force.

In his present appointment, as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command, Air Marshal Nair has brought about significant improvements in the quality of training in various training establishments. This has resulted in qualitative improvements in the limited human resources of the Air Force.

Air Marshal Nair in his long and distinguished career in the Air Force, has displayed qualities of dynamic leadership, and organizational, managerial and professional competence of a very high order.

Air Marshal Erasseri Pathayaprayil Radhakrishnan Nair has thus rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.

Air Marshal Teshter Jall Master AVSM (7224) F (P) was commissioned in the IAF on 09 Mar 63 as a Fighter Pilot. He has to his credit more than 2500 hrs of flying on aircraft of both Soviet and Western origin. During his distinguished career he has held several important field and staff appointments. Apart from commanding an operational Squadron and an ADDC, he has commanded a premier fighter Base. He has contributed in the Field of EW and Defence Production when posted in staff appointment at Air HQ. He was Air Attaché at Washington before taking over the command of College of Defence Management. Prior to his present appointment as Inspector General (Flight Safety & Inspection) since Oct 1999, he held the appointment of Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) of an Operational Command.

As Commandant of College of Defence Management, a Class 'A' Joint Services Institution, he brought about recognition to the college at the national and international level thereby enhancing its image. During his tenure an annual seminar was instituted at the national level. The recognition of the College at international level is evident from the fact that representation from friendly countries was for the first time at Major General level. With his zeal he got the long-standing proposal for permanent accommodation of the college cleared which will result in the move of CDM from its present temporary accommodation to its permanent location in the near future,

As SASO, of an Operational Command he was responsible for the smooth induction of the SU-30 fleet. With foresight and innovative planning he ensured that the Squadron achieved its full potential and was available for operations during the Kargil crisis. As SASO he was responsible for Air Power Demonstration both at Pokhran and Mumbai. The Vayu Shakti at Pokhran in Mar 99 had for the first time air to air missiles firing and full depiction of an air land battle. These events having been conducted safely speaks highly of the professionalism of the Officer. He was also tasked with the move of Command HQ to a new location, which he completed in meticulously under adverse circumstances. The HQ becoming operational in a short duration paid dividends during Op Safed Sagar, which was fully conducted from the new location of the HQ. He fine tuned Air Defence of Command area of operation along with revitalizing Pechora units and C&R system wherein a new CRC was introduced in the Gujarat area and Air Defence of Mumbai strengthened.

As IG (FS&I) he has put in considerable effort for accident prevention with special reference on accidents due to human error and technical defects. He has also been responsible for introduction of Role Specific Inspection and a new pattern for selection of units for annual awards. This will not only enhance the Op potential of the IAF but also foster air warrior qualities. During this period he was also a member of the Task Force on Review of Defence Management from May to Sep 2000, a task he carried out in addition to his regular duties.

Air Marshal Teshter Jall Master AVSM has thus rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.

Air Marshal Bijoy Krishna Pandey AVSM VM (8990) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned in the Indian Air Force as a Fighter Pilot on 25 Dec 64. He is an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College and National Defence College. During his distinguished service of over 38 years, he had held several challenging field, staff and instructional appointments, which include Director DICOST and Director Joint (Ops) Planning at Air HQ and Deputy Commandant NDA. He has also served as the Air Attaché, Embassy of India at Kabul during the three most turbulent years in the recent history of war ravaged Afghanistan. Presently, he is the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command, IAF since 14 Feb 03.

AirMshlPandeyhasrendereddistinguished service in several important appointments. He has successfully commanded Air Force Station, Agra, one of the largest operational bases in the IAF, which sustains high intensityflying operations throughout the year. During his tenure as Deputy Commandant NDA, the Academy celebrated its Golden Jubilee, an infinitely complex exercise during which the NDA hosted the Vice President of India as the Chief Guest, a large number of dignitaries and thousands of alumni of NDA. As Operations Manager in Aviation Research Centre (ARC), he initiated many reforms/measures, which had a positive impact on the work ethos of the Air Wing. The fleet modernisation and other futuristic projects were handled by him very systematically and efficiently which have ensured smooth implementation of various projects of importance to national security. Air Mshl Pandey was awarded Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) in 1971 for displaying superb professional skill and courage in saving valuable lives and an aircraft. He was awarded AVSM in 2001 for distinguished service of an exceptional order.

As AOC-in-C, Training Command he has implemented several measures directed at qualitative changes, having positive impact on the training philosophy and professional standards in the Air Force. He was also responsible for the conduct of the prestigious International Air Show 2003 at Bangalore as also, a number of other major exercises to promote awareness of the IAF amongst the youth in South India.

Air Mshl BK Pandey has thus rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.

Air Marshal Subhash Bhojwani AVSM VSM (9734) F(P) was commissioned in the IAF as a Fighter Pilot on 16 October 1965. He has flown over 4500 hours on single engined aircraft, which include 31 combat mission in December 1971 in the Western Sector, for which he earned 'Mention-in-Dispatches'. He is a Fighter Combat Leader and one of only two IAF pilots holding QFI cat A-1. For his distinguished services, he was awarded Vishisht Seva Medal in 1993 and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 1997. A graduate of RAF Staff College and Australian College of Defence and Strategic Studies, Air Marshal Bhojwani has held prestigious field, staff and instructional appointments including CO of two fighter squadrons, Chief Operations Officer of flying station, instructional assignments at DSSC and College of Air Warfare, Air Officer Commanding of a premier fighter base, Director Ops Offensive and Air Staff Inspection, Commandant Air Force Academy and Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) of Western Air Command, before being appointed as AOC-in-C Training Command since Jul 2004.

As Director Operations (Offensive), he systematised WWR management and measures to optimise availability of weapon and fuses (Project Checkmate). During Kargil operations, he was member of Core Group at Air HQ and was nominated as media spokesman for IAF in which capacity he brought into public focus the crucial role of air power in that conflict. During 2000-02, as commandant Air Force Academy, he restructured the training to optimise existing resources and improves training standards.

At the height of Op Parakram, Air Marshal Bhojwani was appointed SASO, WAC, where he was instrumental in bringing the entire operational assets of the Command to a very high state of readiness. During his two year tenure, he oversaw induction and operationalisation of new technology equipment such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), Bison, Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR), Mi-35 upgrade and Integrated Command Air Tasking System (ICATS), as well as expansion of operational use of computer and data networks. The smooth conduct of several major exercises and flawless completion of Op Meghdoot tasks bear testimony to his conceptualisation and management skills. His standard of staff work and related activities has set a benchmark for others to follow.

As AOC-in-C Training Command Air Mshl Bhojwani involved himself in the restructuring of training of airmen and the establishment of the AF Engineering College.

Air Marshal Subhash Bhojwani AVSM VSM has throughout rendered distinguished service of most exceptional order.

Air Marshal Bhushan Nilkanth Gokhale AVSM VM (11630) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the IAF on 02 June 1968. In a distinguished career spanning four decades, the Air Marshal has flown more than 3700 hrs on various fighter and trainer aircraft. He has had a rich and varied experience covering a gamut of operational, staff and instructional tenures. He is a Cat A2 Qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat Leader. The Air Officer has commanded a frontline fighter squadron and a prestigious Air Base operating Jaguars and Mi-8 aircraft. Besides instructional tenures at Air Force Academy and Flying Instructors' School, the he has served as a qualified flying instructor on deputation to the Iraqi Air Force. The Air Marshal is a graduate of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, an alumnus of Air War College, USA and a Fellow of the Aeronautical Society of India. He has been a Directing Staff at the Staff College and an Inspector at Directorate of Air Staff Inspection (DASI). He has served as Defence Attaché in the Embassy of India Cairo, Egypt. He has also been Air Advisor to Chief of the Air Staff. During the Indo-Pak war of 1971 he flew several operational air-to-ground attack missions. For his professionalism and distinguished service, the Air Marshal has been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal in 1990 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2000.

As Assistant Chief of Air Staff for Operations, the Air Marshal had played an important role in planning and execution of air operations, including Op Parakram. He had coordinated the induction of the SU 30 MKI, Embraer aircraft and the Air-to-Air Refueller aircraft. His meticulous planning facilitated the enhancement of UAV capabilities of the IAF and formulation of tactics for Beyond Visual Range combat. He was the architect of a large number of international exercises conducted during this period. He was instrumental in conceptualization, planning and operationalising the strategic component of lAF's weapon inventory.

As Senior Air Staff Officer and subsequently Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Training command, the Air Marshal's vision of a futuristic Training Command has led to establishment of dedicated Aerospace and IT faculties. Besides ensuring smooth implementation of a novel concept of the Just in Time Training for officers and airmen and Distance Education Scheme for in-service courses, he was the guiding force in streamlining the pilots' training.

Air Marshal Bhushan Nilkanth Gokhale AVSM VM has thus rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.

Air Marshal Gurnam Singh Chaudhry AVSM VSM ADC (11870) F (P) was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the IAF on 29 Dec 1968. He is a Flying Instructor, an Experiment Test Pilot and has flown 4300 hours on several fighter, bomber, transport aircraft and helicopters. He is a graduate of Defence Services Staff College and the National Defence College. The Air Marshal participated in 1971 IndoPak war and flew a number of operational missions. He has held varied appointments which include command of a frontline fighter Squadron, Chief Operations Officer and Air Officer Commanding of prestigious fighter bases. The Air Marshal also served as a qualified flying instructor on deputation to the Govt of Iraq. He was on the staff of Defence Services Staff College

and was one of the founder members of HQ IDS. His other important staff appointments include Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Inspection) and Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) of HQ SWAC. He was awarded VSM in 1992, AVSM in 1999 and was appointed Air ADC to the President of India in 2007.

As the Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Inspection), through meticulous inspections, the Air Marshal contributed towards sustaining high standards of Air Operations, Maintenance and Administrative functioning of the entire IAF. He also revamped Quality Assurance Service functions and re-worked many equipment specifications. As SASO, the Air Officer managed the complete Air Operations in the South Western Sector and was instrumental in integrating SU-30 MKIs and other newly inducted systems into the War Plans. He was also instrumental in conceptualizing, planning and conducting a large number of joint exercises including Exercise 'Gagan Shakti' in Sep 06. His dedicated efforts made Net Centric Warfare Capability a reality in the South Western Air Command.

As the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Training Command, through relentless efforts he ensured a high standard of training and was instrumental in implementation of the new pattern of training. Successful conduct of “Aero-India 07", a mega-event of international proportion and repute, was also executed under his leadership in an exemplary manner.

Air Marshal Gurnam Singh Chaudhry AVSM VSM ADC has thus rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.