As Commanding Officer of Aircraft Manufacturing Depot since its inception, Wing Commander Chawdhry has been closely associated with the production of the first Transport aircraft manufactured in India - Avro 748.

With very limited resources, inadequate tools and equipment and technical personnel untrained for manufacture of aircraft, Wing Commander Chawdhary achieved his objective by diligent planning, personal example, leadership and untiring efforts.

Under his command scrapped plant, machine tools and materials were successfully reclaimed and utilized.

The initiative shown and the great responsibility courageously shouldered, inspite of his comparatively junior rank, were of a high order.

Wing Commander Chawdhry has displayed outstanding leadership and devotion to duty and has thus rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order in the successful production of Avro 748.

Wing Commander S. Das was nominated at short notice to undertake the first flight of the first prototype of the HF-24 Mk. 1 Aircraft. The HF-24 is designed and developed entirely in India by Hindustan Aircraft Limited. This is an aircraft in the supersonic category comparable with modern aircraft of the class manufactured by only a few countries. This aircraft embodies design features, which are entirely new and have not been tested before in powered flights. Wg. Cdr. Das, therefore, had no previous experience of this aircraft, nor was he familiar with its characteristics in the air. Inspite of this, the officer undertook its first flight on 17th June, 1961, after spending only a few days with the Members of the Design Team. Wg. Cdr. Das who has over 1,000 hours of test flying on nearly 35 different types of prototype and production aircraft has brought to bear his vast experience and knowledge in ensuring the success of the inaugural flight of HF-24. In undertaking the first successful test flight, Wg. Cdr. Das has rendered distinguished service of most exceptional order to aviation in India. This achievement calls for knowledge of a high caliber, great skill, courage and devotion to duty of an exceptional order.

Flight Lieutenant Kuppuswamy Lakshmi Narayanan is posted as a Flight Commander to one of our helicopter flights operating in the forward areas of J & K. He has been one of the pioneers in the operation of helicopters in this region and has succeeded in landing at some of the most difficult and hazardous outposts.

On 17th May 1962, an emergency call was received for immediate evacuation of a seriously ill army Jawan from one of our forward posts. In spite of unfavourable weather condition, Flight Lieutenant Narayanan ventured to penetrate the difficult territory and landed his helicopter at a spot where no other helicopter had landed before. But for this timely evacuation rendered possible by this courageous officer there would have been little chance of saving the life of the Jawan.

Again on 6th August, 1962, an emergency call for the evacuation of a Havildar was received from one of our forward posts. The possibility of landing at the helipad had previously been rejected because the area was extremely small and the surrounding hills with its associated turbulence did not permit operations by helicopters. The height of this helipad was 16,000 ft. and critical approach and take off conditions left no margin for an error. However, when this request was repeated by the oupost, Flight Lieutenant Narayanan once again volunteered to carry out what seemed to be an impossible task. He was fully aware of the hazards of this particular operation but with complete disregard to his personal safety, this officer successfully evacuated the Havildar.

The above mentioned actions of Flight Lieutenant Narayanan has proved beyond doubt that he has been a great asset to our forces in Ladakh area. This officer has been operating continuously for over two years and has flown 700 helicopter operational hours in this area. Throughout this period he has displayed conspicuous gallantry with complete disregard to his personal safety. By his gallant efforts he has contributed greatly to the morale of our forces in the forward area.