Air Commodore Harnam Singh Keshub (3468) was commissioned in the Flying Branch: (Navigator) of the Indian Air Force in February, 1948.

During his 28 years of services, he has held various important appointments with distinction, including that of Navigation Instructor of the Navigation Training School, Instructor Junior Commanders Course at the Air Force Admin College, Instructor Transport Support Wing at the School of Land Warfare, Staff Officer (Air) in the Cabinet Secretariat (Military Wing), Air Force Liaison Officer in Nagaland and Joint Director Air Force Works at Air Headquarters.

As Staff Officer (Air) in the Cabinet Secretariat (Military Wing) from August 1965 to August 1968, he was responsibly, amongst his other duties, to revise the Central War Book based on the lessons learnt during the 1965 Indo-Pak Conflict. This task was carried out by him in a most exemplary manner in the shortest possible time. From August 1968 to June 1970, he was the Air Farce Liaison Officer in Nagaland when the hostile were most active. During this period, intensive Helicopter airborne operations were carried out under his direct supervision, which resulted in the capture of many hostiles returning from China after training, with vast quantities of arms and ammunition. From June 1970 to December 1973, he was Joint Director Air Force Works at Air Headquarters, where it was his responsibility to provide adequate Defence and Camouflage works for protection of aircraft and other vital installations, uninterrupted fuel, power and water supply to operational requirements, and emergency repairs at forward airfields. By his untiring efforts, zeal and devotion to duty, he was able to accomplish all these AVSM 1977 tasks well before the 1971 Indo-Pak Conflict. Throughout the conflict, he maintained a close and very effective liaison with Engineers as well as with the other central and Government Departments to ensure that at no time the operations were affected due to unserviceability of the airfields and fuel, power and water supply systems.

On promotion to the rank of Air Commodore in January 1974, he took over as Director of Personal Services at Air Headquarters where he had to deal with complex problems of Service Security, discipline and welfare of personnel and various ceremonial functions. Immediately on assumption of the appointment, he undertook in­depth studies of all his responsibilities with a view to identify the areas which demanded immediate attention, and set about implementing the measures needed to streamline the various procedures and drills with determination and dedication. Due to his efforts, the security and discipline aspects in the service have been tightened and, at the same time, assistance and welfare, amenities to the man and their families have been vastly improved. While impartially and unflinchingly enforcing discipline, he has equally showed qualities of compassion and human understanding, thus setting an enviable and emulating example of an administrator.

Throughout his career, Air Commodore Harnam Singh Keshub has displayed high professional acumen, leadership, devotion to duty and consistently rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Air Commodore Subramaniam Raghavendran (3840) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned in the Flying (Pilot) of the Indian Air Force in April 1950. He had been Senior Air Staff Officer in Headquarters Training Command from March 1974 to February 1976. During this period, with his dedication, devotion to duty and diligence, he made significant and long term contributions to the training and administration in Training Command. Prior to this he had had a distinguished and productive career in the Air Force. He had commanded Fighter Squadrons twice. He had also been O i/c Flying and Station Commander of a major fighter base. He is highly qualified professionally and administratively.

With his incisive, analytical and methodical mind, he identified the weak areas in training in the IAF and instituted to improve the same. He devised most comprehensive lesson plans for all training institutions. Steps were taken by him to make training aids scales from the needs of the lesson plans as opposed to ad­hoc redundant ones. To make available all training and audio­visual aids, comprehensive 'Resources Libraries' were introduced by him in all institutions. He carried out a methodical standardisation of all training records and documents in the schools and reduced the work load, while making available complete Management Information System at appropriate levels of supervision. Effective instructor assessment system and updating lectures were, also instituted by him for the instructors to ensure high calibre.

He introduced a Command Training Inspection Team, led by him which visited the units, with elaborate questionnaires and critically analysed their performance. It produced such remarkable results that Institutions assessed as sub­standard came up to excellent standards within six months.

His most outstanding contribution to Training Command was the introduction of Management-By Objectives throughout the Command vis­à­vis Training, Maintenance and Administration. Specially called the Goals, Results and Objectives Oriented Management System, he formed an ad­hoc team and personally identified the Key Result Areas of Training Command. He analysed the strength, weaknesses and resources of Training Command set realistic, but challenging objectives, made detailed action plans and devised a Management Information System for feed back and control of the same. All these were issued by him as detailed Training Command Air staff Instructions. In addition to this, he also made compendium of all Air Staff matters and based on these issued detailed Training Command Air staff Instructions on every aspect.

Air Commodore Subramaniam Raghavendran has thus rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Air Commodore Satya Sagar Sahgal (3777) was commissioned in Aeronautical Engineering (Mechanical) Branch of the Indian Air Force in January, 1950. He was in command of Air Force Technical Collage from 1972. During the three years of his stay in the College as Commandant, he has, by his personal example of hard work and single, minded, devotion to duty, inspired the personnel of the College to a very high degree of effectiveness. He has put in immense effort in motivating the staff to give off their best and produce results far beyond normal expectations. He has been an ideal commander in practically all spheres of activities.

In the professional field, he has always had an excellent record. Early in his tenure as the Commandant, he realised the needs of the Air Force and instituted progressive changes in the syllabi and the practical training activities of the trainees, to meet such requirements. He was a member of the Technical Training Team instituted by the Chief of the Air Staff for improving the Technical Training in the Indian Air Force. Not only did he contribute immensely to the findings and recommendations of the Team, but also undertook follow­up action in a number of areas which were really those of other agencies. Under the guidance of Headquarters Training Command, he compiled the job specifications, course objectives etc. for the Aeronautical Engineering and Aeronautical Inspection Courses and, based on these, compiled extremely exhaustive and practically oriented syllabi. This would go a long way in giving a solid foundation to the future Aeronautical Engineering Branches. Also he has been the driving spirit behind the setting up of Resources Libraries and objective oriented projects for the trainees.

His achievements in the field of administration have been no less conspicuous. The works services that he visualised and undertook in the College to improve the training environment, living conditions of the trainee officers are praise worthy.

His overall performance as an administrator, organiser and above all an officer fired with the ambition to give his very best at all times has been impressive. With long working hours and sustained hard work, he has set an example of utter devotion to duty. His cool imaginative leadership and determined approach to keep training at a high standard has inspired his subordinates to a high pitch of efficiency.

Air Commodore Satya Sagar Sahgal has thus rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Group Captain Premanand Ramanany (3453) was commissioned in the Aeronautical Engineering (Electronics) Branch of the Indian Air Force in November, 1947. He assumed command of a Base Repair Depot Air Force in July 1974. Very soon thereafter he took a series of carefully planned steps to improve both the repair, test and calibration capability of the Depot and the production capacity of its workshops.

Towards increased production, Group Captain Premanand Ramany completely reorganized the workshops for overhaul/ repair of Receivers, Teleprinters, VHF/DF and AD 210C equipment. By re­designing the lay out of the repair facilities and also the production lines he ensured optimum utilisation of available manpower. For instance, the manhours for the production of teleprinters were, without compromising the quality, reduced from 180 to 130. As a result there was marked increased in production in many important spheres. The repair of Canberra rotables increased from 36% in 1974-75 to 105% in 1975-76, over the same period the rotables production of Caribous increased from 63% to 101% and production of test equipment from 92% to 200%.

The officer also took a very special personal interest in the establishment of a Calibration Laboratory, a long­felt need of the Air Force. By rationalisation of availably test equipment and also supplementing those to some extent by collecting useful items from existing Air Force assets, he has now successfully set up a comprehensive Laboratory capable of under taking the calibration of no less than 150 varieties of test equipment. For optimum utilisation of the Laboratory by all units of the Air Force, the Depot has now also prepared a complete compendium of calibration facilities which are available at the Depot.

Apart from the many and varied steps he took to improve production and the capability of his Depot, Group Captain Parmanand Ramanany also gave deep thought to the evolution of a policy of preventive maintenance of all signals equipment in the Air Force and it is largely as a result of his initiative that a scheme has now been introduced for periodic preventive maintenance of major items. This initiative will also greatly facilitate the formulation of long term repair tasks, which in turn, will ensure proper provisioning of spares.

Throughout Group Captain Premanand Ramany has rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Group Captain Karan Yadav (4200) was commissioned in the Flying (Pilot) Branch of the Indian Air Force in December, 1951. He has been commanding an operational flying station in the Eastern Sector for two years. He has also held other important appointments earlier. He has flown a number of operational aircraft and has a total flying of 4600 hours. As Station commander he also attained the highest instrument rating on supersonic aircraft. In addition he holds the qualification of a Test Pilot.

While commanding the operational flying station, ha has displayed outstanding qualities of leadership and man­management. Through his drive and determination he has succeeded in improving the serviceability state of aircraft based on his station. His concerted efforts brought down the accident rate of his Station from 24.8 in 1974 to 3.1 in 1975. He has been responsible for evolving original methods for reducing bird strike accidents on his base. During his tenure he was able to ensure the smooth and successful operation capabilities of his operational squadrons without any significant radar recovery aids available to the Station. He was required to extend a large degree of supervision over an AOP Flight located away from his base. He succeeded in substantially raising the operational capabilities of all flying units at his Wing with two of the units being assessed as the best instrument rated units in the IAF.

Group Captain Karan Yadav has inspired his men by his devotion to duty, personal example and qualities of leadership, and has thus rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.

Group Captain KRISHNASWAMY SUBRAMANIAN VM (4213) Flying (Navigator) Citation Not Available.