Air Marshal Palamadai Muthuswamy Ramachandran, was commissioned in the IAF on the 8th October, 1955. During his long and distinguished career, he has held a large number of key command and staff appointments which included the command of a frontline fighter Squadron, Director of Personnel (Officers) at Air HQ and Senior Air Staff Officer of an operational command.

Applying his excellent professional expertise to real problems, the Air Officer has been displaying rare dynamism and courage throughout his career. During the Goa Operations in 1961, he carried out a bold attack and destroyed enemy patrol boats carrying explosives. He was awarded Shaurya Chakra for gallantry.

An alumnus of the prestigious National Defence College, the Air Officer made a distinguished contribution to the concepts of inter-service planning when posted to Defence Planning Staff in the rank of Air Vice Marshal in 1983. Later, as Director of Personnel (Officers) at Air HQ, the Air Officer introduced innovative promotion schemes such as personal ranks of Gp Capt which came at a time when the service was beset with serious promotional bottlenecks.

On being appointed Senior Air Staff Officer of South Western Air Command in 1990 in the rank of Air Marshal, the Air Officer provided the much needed foresight, conceptual framework and administrative dynamism for a large number of operational exercises conducted in his Command. In his last appointment of Vice Chief of Air Staff, the Air Officer used his vast professional expertise, operational experience and ability for finding out solutions to complex problems.

Air Marshal Palamadai Muthuswamy Ramachandran, AVSM, SC, VM, has, thus, rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.

Air Marshal Ravinder Math Bhardwaj was commissioned in the Flying Branch of the IAF on 08 Oct 55. During his long and distinguished career he has held a number of key Command and Staff appointments with distinction which included command of a fighter Squadron, a frontline fighter base and Senior Air Staff Officer of an Air Force Command.

Commencing his career as a fighter pilot, Air Marshal RN Bhardwaj rapidly established a reputation of a thorough professional. His single minded and decisive approach to military flying became abundantly clear during the lndo-Pak War In 1971. He led a number of missions on heavily defended ground targets of the enemy and caused heavy damage. On 10th Dec 1971 while leading a ground support mission in the Chhamb area, he shot down an enemy Sabre aircraft. For his role in the 1971 Indo-Pak war he was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for conspicuous gallantry.

A qualified flying instructor of repute he was placed in Command of a Fighter Squadron in 1974. The Air Officer moulded his squadron into a formidable fighting unit through ceaseless effort close supervision and dedicated involvement with men and material.

An alumnus of the prestigious National Defence College the Air Officer was assigned the Command of a key Air Force Base in the Central Sector in 1982. Displaying rare acumen for management the Air Officer was able to build up a military complex which would be ready to deliver results at short notice despite resource-crunch.

Although the Air Officer has an enviable record of operational service, he was equally at ease in training roles. He held a distinguished tenure as a flying instructor with the Iraqi Air Force. Further, he displayed remarkable flair for management of training needs of the armed forces when he was posted as the Deputy Commandant at National Defence Academy in 1984.

In addition to the operational and training roles the Air Officer's contribution in the staff appointments has both a blend of rich field experience and outstanding ability for clear thinking. As Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Inspection) at Air HQ the Air Officer was able to identify weak areas of field units and suggest corrective measures. Later, as Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Plans), the Air Officer played a crucial role in the formulation of new plans and completing on going ones.

Bringing to bear his vast experience, the Air Officer completed a very successful tenure as Senior Air Staff Officer at HQ Training Command in the rank of Air Marshal. The Air Marshal continues to contribute to the operational effectiveness of the Air Force in his present appointment of Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Air Command.

Air Marshal Ravinder Math Bhardwaj, MVC, VM has rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.

Air Marshal PJ Jayakumar, AVSM (5037) Plying (Pilot) was commissioned in the IAF on 14 Jan 56 as a fighter pilot. Throughout his long and distinguished career he has held a variety of Command and Staff appointments of crucial importance. These included Command of a fighter Squadron and of an extremely sensitive fighter base, Director Air Defence and Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel at Air HQ and Senior Air Staff Officer at HQ Western Air Command. He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 1988.

A graduate of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, the Air Officer Commanded a frontline fighter Squadron in 1974. Later, he was placed in Command of a very sensitive base at the border in 1982. During his Command additional operational units were inducted at his base. Displaying remarkable management abilities the Air Officer was able to make newly inducted units fully operational in the shortest possible time despite severe constraints of resources.

The Air Officer was appointed Commandant of College of Air Warfare in 1908 in the rank of Air Vice Marshal. The Air Officer provided a new dimension to the doctrines of Air Warfare through innovative thinking and guidance.

In addition to holding Command appointments, the Air Officer held several Staff appointments of crucial importance with equal ease and aplomb. As the Joint Director Personnel (Officer) at Air HQ in 1977, the Air Officer was instrumental, in formulating a new promotion policy and the appraisal system which has been the hallmark of manpower management of the officer Cadre of the IAF ever since. Further, the Air Officer displayed rare conceptual thinking, flair for meticulous planning and dedicated effort as the Director, Joint Operations. A graduate of the Command and General Staff Course of Voroshilov Academy of the USSR, the Air Officer was appointed Asst Chief of Air Staff (Inspection) in 1989. In this assignment the Air Officer was able to identify the crucial areas for improvement of a large number of operational units of the IAF through close monitoring and attention for details. Appointed Air Officer-in-Charge Personnel in the rank of Air Marshal in 1990, the Air Officer was able to establish an optimum interface between operational requirements and man-power policies.

As Senior Air Staff Officer of Western Air Command the Air Officer provided a fresh insight into the operational plans and their modes of implementation. The Air Officer presently holds the vital appointment of Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command. In this appointment the Air Officer brings to bear his vast operational and Staff experience to maintain this Command in the peak operational readiness.

Air Marshal Pondicherry Jayarao Jayakumar AVSM has thus rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.

Air Marshal Dushyant Singh was commissioned in the IAF on the 14th January, 1956. In his service career, the Air Officer held a number of command and staff appointments with distinction which include command of the crucial Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, a fighter base, AOC Jammu & Kashmir and Senior Air Staff Officer of an Air Force Command.

Air Marshal Singh commanded a key training institution and later a vital Air Force Fighter Base which housed a mix of many types of aircraft as well as firing range. Displaying his usual determination, he was able to bring up his base to a high level of operational preparedness. Later, he was placed in command of J&K area in the rank of Air Vice Marshal during the height of Siachen crisis. On this assignment, he displayed rare resoluteness of purpose and brought glory to the IAF in the air support role in conjunction with the Army. The Air Officer continues to serve the IAF as the Air Officer Commanding-inChief of the Eastern Command. In a short period since his taking over the Command, he was able to appreciate the priorities of the Govt. and dovetail them with the Command plans. Sensing the need to bring economy in Govt. expenditure, he was able to reduce the man power by 3000 without sacrificing the operational commitment of his command.

Air Marshal Dushyant Singh, VM, VSM has, thus, rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.