688505 Sergeant Shivasharnappa Hanamant Patil Electrical Fitter is on the posted strength of Air Force Station, Belgaum with effect from 23 Sep 02 and performing trade duties in MTR&S Flight. By dint of his sterling qualities as a professional with a sincere, dedicated approach, he has proved to be a role model for all others to emulate in his section.

On 31 Jul 05, Air Force Station Belgaum was tasked to coordinate relief operations in the flood-ravaged areas of Northern Karnataka and adjoining areas in Kolhapur and Sangli Districts of Maharashtra. The flood situation worsened and on 01 Aug 05 a call was received from the District Administration for rescuing marooned people whose lives were threatened in the village. A volunteer was required to undertake winching operations as there was no one available though not trained in winching operations amongst the helicopter crew members familiar with the local language. As a true air warrior, Sgt Patil rose to the occasion and accepted the challenge of rescuing marooned people. Sgt Patil showed exemplary courage, innovation and grit to undertake the challenging task of going down and helping people to safety on the winch. Through his whole-hearted involvement, he was able to rescue 23 people in two consecutive days' effort i.e. on 01 and 02 Aug 05. This rescue operation was performed in the life­threatening situation, in bad weather, by rains and gushing floodwaters. Any let up in this kind of rescue operation where the flow of floodwater is enormous would have resulted in a grave situation both for the rescuer as well as local population being rescued. During one such operation the winch got struck and an iron ladder was lowered in hanging position. Sgt Patil recovered from this dangerous situation, even though in the process he hurt his hand. He then continued with the onerous task, unmindful of his safety or discomfort, displaying exemplary courage to rescue people against all odds. His courageous effort deserves special recognition as he volunteered for winch operations without being trained for the same.

Sgt Patil has displayed exemplary courage and dedication for a noble cause in true tradition of the Indian Air Force, bringing honour to himself and glory to the Service.

For this act of exceptional courage, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)' to Sergeant Shivasharnappa Hanamant Patil.

Air Commodore Gurdarshan Singh Joneja (13958) Med was commissioned on 16 Jan 75. A graduate and a postgraduate from AFMC Pune, he is a Gynaecologist whose illustrious career has culminated in his appointment as the Consultant to the Armed Forces at the most prestigious Army Hospital (R&R).

He is an outstanding personality with a high degree of professionalism, clinical expertise and leadership qualities. Under his stewardship as Consultant to the Armed Forces, the field of Gynaecology has revolutionized to the most modern and high-tech speciality through provision of the latest medical equipments at the peripheral hospitals.

He has brought up the Dept of Gynaecology at Army Hospital (R&R) as the foremost tertiary care centre for Endoscopic Surgery, Gynaecologic Oncololgy and Infertility Management. A pioneer in the field of keyhole surgery, he has himself carried out a number of complicated endoscopic surgeries. Under his guidance, the Assisted Reproductive Centre, the only one of its kind in public sector, has attained National and International repute. His visionary approach has made Test-tube baby a reality for infertile couples thus realizing their dreams of parenthood.

His professional achievements have brought him laurels and recognition through appointments to various Expert Committees of Ministry of Health, visiting professorship and examinership of a number of Universities. His research work and various publications have been recognized in various National and International forums.

Air Commodore Gurdarshan Singh Joneja has shown foresight, perseverance and dedication of the highest order to his profession. He is a rare combination of clinician, academician and administrator.

For his extraordinary contribution to the specialty of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Air Commodore Gurdarshan Singh Joneja.

Group Captain Kulkarni Raghavendra (17161) F (P) was commissioned as a pilot in the flying branch on 28 May 83. He has held several appointments as an Air Force Examiner, CO of the Communication Flight, HQ TC, Flight Commander and CO of IL-78 Squadron. He is a graduate of Defence Services Staff College and is a qualified flying instructor having flown over 7000 hours of accident free flying. His sustained hard work and selfless commitment has earned him commendations by the AOC-in-C, TC in Jan 92, AOC-in-C, EAC in Aug 93 and CAS in Jan 03.

He was posted as the flight commander of the first Flight Refueller Sqn. He faced the daunting task of exacting diverse missions related to the new role of Air to Air Refuelling (AAR) operations, involving planning and coordination with a variety of agencies. His professional competence and planning abilities contributed immensely in a large number of operators of the unit gaining their operational status, and ensuring safe conduct of AAR operations in a variety of scenarios. He was instrumental in the planning and execution of two international exercises viz. Ex Cooperative Cope Thunder and Ex Golden Eagle in which the unit successfully participated earning accolades from all quarters.

The officer's contribution as flight commander of the fledgling unit was highly noteworthy. This laid a strong foundation for the unit to undertake multifarious tasks successfully, resulting in him assuming command of the Sqn. Under his stewardship, the unit has strengthened its operational capability as also other facets of operations, demonstrating its professionalism during international exercise Garuda, and also during the inspection by Directorate of Air Staff. His compassion and leadership qualities have seen all personnel of the unit trying to emulate him in the best interest of the service.

For exceptional devotion to duty, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Group Captain Kulkarni Raghavendra.

Wing Commander Sunil Kumar Bhatia (17360) F (P) has been on the posted strength of Helicopter Training School since 21 Jul 04. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) and an IRIE, and is posted as Chief Flying Instructor at this School.

In his spotless career spanning 23 years, he has logged a total of 5550 hrs of accident/ incident free flying, including 780 hrs by night. He holds Cat/IR AMG on Chetak/ Cheetah and Mi-8/Mi-17. He has served as Flight Commander of Helicopter Flight, Chief Operations Officer at AF Stn Mohanbari, and as Commanding Officer of Helicopter Unit. He was commended by the Chief of Air Staff in 1998.

Being a QFI with rich and varied experience, he has always taken keen interest in the training aspects of the establishment. He has completed eight years in Training Command, spread over four tenures of active, accident/ incident free flying. Endorsed on HPT-32, Chetak/Cheetah and Mi-8/Mi-17 aircraft, he has accrued a total of 2355 hrs of instructional flying, including 456 hrs by night. He has been an IRIE since 1997.

In this School itself, he has been posted as a Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI), Flight Commander, and now Chief Flying Instructor (CFI). In his current tenure, he has been the senior CFI for three terms, and at present is the only CFI for this term. He has worked consistently towards improvement of training standards. He has contributed immensely towards the standardization of procedures, phase briefs and instructional nuances. Having set high professional standards for all staff and trainees of this School, he spares no effort to ensure that these standards are met and maintained at all times. A true Air Warrior, he has always lead by personal examples, leaving a valuable imprint in the tender minds of all the trainees who have interacted with him.

For his high degree of professionalism, ability to consistently perform to the exacting standards of the Indian Air Force and exceptional devotion to duty, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Sunil Kumar Bhatia.

Wing Commander Eslin Paul D'Couto (17863) F (P) was commissioned on 14 Jun 85 as a Fighter Pilot in the IAF. In 21 years of distinguished service he has held several important field and staff appointments that include Flying Instructor at Air force Academy, Flight Commander of a Fighter Squadron, and as Directing Staff at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. For his professionalism in recovering a crippled trainer aircraft, he was commended by the Chief of the Air Staff on 26 Jan 96. He took over command of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Squadron on 03 May 04. On induction of special payloads he displayed exemplary professional vision in conceptualizing the employment philosophy of these special payloads. The proposed employment has been accepted by the IAF for the entire UAV fleet. By his dedication, involvement and professional approach during every On Site Functional Acceptance Test (OSFAT) he was instrumental in identifying flaws and suggesting improvements which have been accepted by the OEM, thus preempting a subsequent upgrade. Under his guidance various innovations on the Data Acquisition System (DAS) and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery interpretation station were carried out, resulting in large saving in foreign exchange. He was instrumental in formulating very exhaustive briefing guides, SOPs and syllabi for use of special payloads on UAVs which have been accepted by Air HQ (VB) for entire UAV fleet.

Under his leadership the air warriors of the Squadron are highly motivated and constantly upgrade their knowledge through interaction with the OEM and TETTRA. The OP crew of the Squadron, through a mix of many branches, always work as a cohesive team, comparable to the best of fighter Squadrons of IAF. In the last two years, the Squadron has achieved many distinctions and was judged the BEST UAV SQUADRON in WAC for 2005. It is the only UAV Squadron to be inspected by DASI with Average plus overall grading. In the last two years the squadron has flown a total of 1423 hours, the highest by any UAV squadron, without a single accident/incident on UAVs or Half Scales. It has the maximum cross trained operators, with all Fully Operational External Pilots (EP) trained as Internal Pilots (IP) and three IPs as EPs. All Internal Pilots of the Squadron have been declared as Mission Commanders and are all trained as Special Payload Operators.

For his personal involvement, dedication and exceptional devotion to duty, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Eslin Paul D'Couto.

Wing Commander Shiv Ratan Singh (18083) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned on 06 Dec 85. He is the Deputy Commandant of Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) since 09 Aug 04.

He is a Fighter Combat Leader (FCL) and a graduate of DSSC, Wellington. For his outstanding performance during the FCL course, he was awarded the Jam Satanic Sword of Honour and soon after the course, he was posted as Directing Staff at the Establishment from Aug 95 to Jun 2000. He was also awarded the CAS commendation in Aug 94 for his avidity and allegiance towards his duty. He has commanded a frontline fighter Squadron and under his leadership, the Squadron undertook four MOF training courses before re-equipping with Bison aircraft. He ensured incident free conversion in the shortest possible time. Under his guidance the Squadron performed exceptionally well in DASI and AEB inspections.

The officer became the Deputy Commandant at a crucial juncture where a lot of operational, developmental and training activity was being undertaken at TACDE. However, with his initiative, involvement and dedication all the assigned tasks were achieved well and in time. He undertook the induction of Bison aircraft at TACDE as a personal crusade. This involved extensive liaison with external agencies as there were many teething problems since the aircraft and allied equipment were not planned for the Establishment at that stage. He has been instrumental in the planning and conduct of the first major BVR vs BVR tactics development exercise, Ex Javelin-II. The lessons accrued from this exercise have caused a paradigm shift in the tactical doctrine of the IAF and in shaping the future of air warfare in the Air Force. He has displayed professional acumen of a very high order in the planning and conduct of international Air Force Exercise (Ex Cope India-05) with the USAF. His effort in steering the exercise towards the desired objectives has greatly enhanced the image of the IAF.

He is a perfectionist who has never allowed personal comfort to impede his work and has willingly worked beyond the normal call of duty. He has always led from the front and served as a role model to his subordinates with his tireless zeal, knowledge and maturity.

For his exceptional devotion to duty, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Shiv Ratan Singh.

Wing Commander Ajay Rathore (18258) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned in the Indian Air Force as a Fighter pilot on 07 Jun 86. He has close to 4000 hrs of flying to his credit and is qualified on the Su-30 MKI, Su30K, MiG-27ML and MiG-23BN aircraft. A recipient of the Scudder Medal for standing first in the overall order of merit in the 55th Defence Services Staff Course, the officer is a Qualified Flying Instructor and has been commended by the Chief of the Air Staff for his dedication to duty.

The officer has ensured smooth induction and operationalisation of the latest variant of Su-30MKI aircraft into the IAF and has contributed immensely to the enhancement of work culture in his Squadron. It is due to his sheer hard work and thorough professional approach that the squadron has consistently performed well in all spheres of activity. Notwithstanding the attendant pressures of new inductions, he has flown nearly 550 hrs in the last year and half. He has shown immense courage, exceptional skill and determination to successfully undertake pioneering missions on the Su-30MKI aircraft, such as the search and successful location of the crashed naval Kamov helicopter (19-24 Aug 05), using the onboard sensors of the Su-30MKI, which led to the recovery of a survivor.

The Su-30MKI is being hailed as a 'first of its kind' project in which the best of Russian and western technologies have been synergised to produce one of the most potent fighter aircraft in the world. Utilising his exceptional knowledge of the integration aspects of the Su30MKI aircraft and analytical approach, Wing Commander Ajay Rathore has successfully spearheaded the indigenisation of the SAPFIR Mission Planning and Debrief System hardware of the aircraft, resulting in significant cost saving to the Indian Air Force (original Russian system costs US $70,000/- vis-à-vis the proposed indigenised system cost of Rs. 3.5 lakhs). Additionally, using his unparalleled knowledge of Su-30MKI operations and systems, he has also been instrumental in the development of a desktop computer based Cockpit Procedure Trainer for the Su-30MKI aircraft, further development of which has now been handed over to Software Development Institute, IAF. The officer has also been actively involved in the User Evaluation Trials of the Su-30MKI aircraft, and through his analytical ability and foresight, has been able to resolve a number of development related issues pertaining to the aircraft.

For exceptional devotion to duty, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Ajay Rathore.

Wing Commander Sanjeev Raj (18276) F (P) was commissioned on 07 Jun 86 in the Flying Branch of IAF as a Fighter Pilot. He has been the Flight Commander of a Mig-29 Squadron for three years and has commanded a MiG-21 Squadron at a forward Air Base. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat Leader.

He took over command of a fighter squadron on 29 Dec 03. The role of unit is to train ab-initio pilots to become fighter pilots. Twenty five ab-initio pilots have been posted to the unit in this period and fifteen successfully graduated as fighter pilots. The Squadron flew 7984 sorties and 4818.50 hours during his command which is the maximum flying done by any MiG-21 squadron. A very keen flier, he himself has flown 961 sorties/578 hours during this tenure which reflects his active involvement and supervision. During his tenure, the Squadron did not have any CAT 1 accident.

Under his leadership, the unit maintained exceptionally high serviceability of aircraft and was able to achieve 100% serviceability on one occasion on 17 Mar 05. Inspite of significant manning and technical constraints of the MiG21 fleet, the overall output, quality of work, consistency and morale of the unit has been exceptional primarily because of his leadership and professionalism. Leading the team from the front, he delivered outstanding results across operational, maintenance and administrative fronts. The Squadron was adjudged as the 'Best Combat Squadron' of SWAC in the year 2005. The squadron's performance was well appreciated by DASI in the year 2005 with Average Plus to Above Average results.

For exceptional devotion to duty, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Sanjeev Raj.

Wing Commander Balakrishnan Balachandran (18561) F (P) was commissioned on 06 Dec 86 in the Flying branch of the Indian Air Force. In 19 years of distinguished service, he has held several important appointments which include Flight Commander fighter Squadron, Chief Operations Officer (COO) AF Stn Suratgarh and Commanding Officer (CO) fighter Squadron. A Staff College Graduate, Qualified Flying Instructor, Fighter Combat Leader, Instrument Rating Instructor and Examiner, he is a highly experienced fighter pilot with more than 3000 hours of accident/incident free flying which includes 1100 hours of instructional experience. He was commended by the Chief of the Air Staff, Indian Air Force, in 2001.

As CO of a Fighter Squadron the officer ensured high quality not only in the conduct of MiG Operational Flying Training (MOFT) in the Squadron, but also in Annual Squadron Training flying, averaging 215 hours of flying per month. During the visit by the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection in February 2005, apart from displaying exceptional performance in the mission led by him, the Squadron was assessed 'Average Plus' overall. The Commanding Officer single handedly progressed all the staff pilots of the Squadron in night strike syllabus which is nearing completion. He has also improved the Squadron Instrument Rating status of all eight eligible staff pilots. He ensured timely completion of MOFT of 170, 171, 172 and 173 Pilots Courses.

The officer has built an effective team with all the Squadron personnel, and with his personal involvement, maintained a high morale and motivation amongst them. He has also vastly improved the ambience of his unit's surroundings and the quality of working conditions.

For exceptional devotion to duty, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Balakrishnan Balachandran.

Wing Commander Kothapalli Venkata Rama Raju (18573) F (P) was commissioned on 06 December 86. The officer is a Fighter Combat Leader who was awarded the Sword of Honour in the course. He is an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College and a Qualified Flying Instructor, fully operational on MiG-21 FL, MiG-21 Bis, MiG-29, Su-30 K and Su-30 MKI ac with over 3000 hrs of flying experience. Presently, he is the Commanding Officer of 24 Squadron, Air Force since 05 July 2004.

The officer was part of the core team to be trained in Russia for induction of Su-30K aircraft in the IAF in 1997. Subsequently, he became the Flt Cdr of the first ever Su-30 MKI Sqn. With his vast experience as O i/c Air Combat Tactics Development at TACDE he was instrumental in developing the air combat tactics for the Su-30 K and Su-30 MKI. After assuming command, he operationalised the Sqn at its new location and formulated the concepts towards exploiting the op potential of the SU-30 aircraft. He upgraded the op status of 16 pilots to F/Op and 04 pilots to Op day status and trained 24 pilots in air-to-air refueling. Further, he contributed effectively in several international exercises like ExSindex with the F-16's of Singapore Air Force, Ex-Garuda-Il with the French Air Force in France and Ex-Cope India-05 with the USAF at Kalaikunda. The high mark of the officer's leadership was the unblemished induction and de-induction of the unit to France involving an inter-continental deployment of six Sukhoi30K aircraft for the first time by the IAF. In all these high level exercises with foreign air forces, the unit under his dynamic leadership truly epitomised the spirit and professional competence of the IAF. The Sqn, throughout maintained its fighting edge with 100% serviceability. In essence, the officer tested and validated the IAF's doctrinal viability of safely undertaking such strategic operations. The initiative, involvement, meticulous planning, coordination and importantly the successful execution of these exercises can singularly be attributed to the dynamism, foresight and leadership of the officer.

For his exceptional leadership, professional acumen and exceptional devotion to duty, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Kothapalli Venkata Rama Raju.

Wing Commander Ashutosh Lal (18785) F (P) was commissioned on 13 Jun 87 in the Flying Branch of the IAF. An A-2 Qualified Flying Instructor and an Experimental Test Pilot, he has held several important operational and instructional appointments.

He was appointed as Commanding Officer of Attack Helicopter (AH) Squadron on 09 Aug 04. With astounding involvement and relentless drive he propelled the Squadron towards safe maximisation of its operational potential. Leading with innovative vision, he established the off base night operations as the core competence of the Squadron. He induced a vibrant team spirit amongst his subordinates and instituted a proactive, excellence seeking work ethos as Squadron's identity. Consequently, on several occasions the squadron simultaneously excelled in more than one important commitments. These included inter-service command level exercises, national tasks of Republic/ Independence day parades and other Air Force commitments of sensitive nature.

On the jointmanship front, the officer with his perseverance succeeded in building a new synergised understanding of AH employment by the supported Army formations. Under his leadership the Squadron has drawn accolades from several formations for its professionalism and operational approach especially while undertaking night missions.

The officer has also rallied intensely for optimisation through proactive management of resources, innovations and Information Technology applications. Some of the acclaimed innovations of the Squadron include the Night Vision Goggles, compatible helipad and tarmac lights, the Operational Risk Management matrix exclusive for helicopters and Radio Relay link for streaming the attack videos from remote locations. The Squadron has pioneered an IAF intranet based software solution automating the returns pertaining operations, flight safety, maintenance and administrative fields.

During the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection, the Squadron under his command has been adjudged 'Above Average' in Operations and 'Average Plus' in Maintenance and Administration. The Squadron was adjudged 'Best Helicopter Unit' in Western Air Command for the year 2004-05.

For exceptional devotion to duty, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Ashutosh Lal.

Wing Commander Tejinder Singh (18806) F (P) was commissioned on 13 Jun 87 in the Fighter Stream of the Flying Branch of the 1AF. He is an A-2 category Flying Instructor, Instrument Rating Instructor and Examiner and is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College. He stood first during Hunter Operational Flying training and was also awarded the trophy for Best in Armament. While undergoing the Qualified Flying Instructors Course, he was awarded the trophy for Best in Flying and while undergoing the Air Staff Course at Defence Services Staff College he was awarded the Scudder Medal for standing first in M Sc Studies. He has over 4300 hours of Accident/Incident free flying, including 2000 hrs on Jaguars and has been awarded a commendation by the CAS. He has been a Directing Staff at the Flying Instructors School, Flight Commander of a fighter squadron and an Air Force Examiner at Aircrew Examining Board.

He was appointed as Commanding Officer of a Jaguar Squadron on 26 May 04 in difficult circumstances, after a tragic Double-Fatal accident and he faced the challenge of raising the morale of the Squadron and re-building the team. During the last 21 months, the Squadron carried out the maximum flying amongst fighter Squadron of Western Air Command and the same was achieved without any accident, while operating vintage Navigation Weapon Aiming Sub System Jaguars. Flying by junior pilots has almost doubled and has led to up-gradations and fast progress of syllabus. Innovations like setting up of a Test Equipment Laboratory and devising simple software at Sqn level are indicative of the high level of involvement of all personnel and have resulted in enhanced efficiency and savings in cost to the exchequer. The squadron put up a commendable performance during inspection by Directorate of Air Staff Inspections and the mission led by him was assessed as Exceptional. The Sqn won the Rocketry trophy in Exercise Ekalavya 04 and during Eklavya 05, the squadron put up a record performance winning four out of five team events and the Overall Championship. He was a member of three winning teams in these exercises. He led the fighter fly past on AF Day 04, 05 and Republic Day 06, putting up an immaculate display every time. He was also the Team Leader for induction of DARIN II Twin-Seater aircraft at base and has made an invaluable contribution to ensure a smooth transition to a new variant.

The officer, with his personal professional example, pro-active approach and leadership has provided the personnel placed below him with a new purpose and direction. This has enabled the squadron to tide over the crisis and attain exceptional standards of professionalism in all facets of its tasking.

For exceptional devotion to duty, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Tejinder Singh.

Wing Commander Vishwajit Vasudev Dedgaonkar (18813) F (P) was commissioned on 13 Jun 1987 in the flying branch of the Indian Air Force and has been the Commanding Officer of a Jaguar Squadron since 01 Jun 04, which is the only maritime squadron of the Indian Air Force.

The Officer has 3300 hrs accident free flying, of which nearly 2600 hrs are on operational aircraft. He took over the reins of the squadron after the sad and untimely demise of the previous Commanding Officer in an aircraft accident. In spite of the grief and loss suffered by the squadron, he raised the morale of all air warriors in the greater interest of service. Leading by personal example, Wing Commander Dedgaonkar instilled confidence, enthusiasm and a sense of professional pride in the squadron, thus binding it into a strong and potent fighting force.

The level of motivation instilled came to the fore within a month of his taking over command, when the squadron won the prestigious "Eklavya" trophy in SWAC for the best overall squadron in Air-to-Ground armament delivery. This trophy was again retained in 2005, thus ensuring that the squadron is adjudged the best in armament delivery for three consecutive years. During the DASI visit, the squadron was adjudged Average Plus in all aspects and was selected for Vayu Spardha. He was entrusted the task of inducting the latest variant of DARIN II Twin seater aircraft and converting the squadron from half squadron strength to full squadron strength. Starting with a limited number of experienced pilots, engineers and technicians, he has led his team with personal examples to operationalise the new aircraft. Despite the attendant pressures pertaining to new inductions and increase in squadron strength, he has ensured that the squadron did 4200 hrs of accident free hours during his tenure.

The officer has motivated his air warriors to a very high level of achievements. Despite constraints, he has shown immense courage, exceptional skill and determination to successfully undertake pioneering missions, which includes operating from Carnic Post Tsunami, participation in frequent inter service exercises and launch of Two Sea eagle Missiles in various modes. For exceptional devotion to duty, the

Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Vishwajit Vasudev Dedgaonkar.

Wing Commander Praveen Keshav Vohra (19162) F (P) was commissioned in Indian Air Force on 19 Dec 87 as a pilot in the fighter stream. He has completed 18 years of service having flown 3350 hours on various aircraft without a single accident or incident. He has flown over 1000 hours on the MiG29 aircraft. During this time he has served as an operational pilot in frontline fighter Squadrons of the IAF flying the MiG-21 and MiG-29 aircraft, been a founder member of the elite 'SURYAKIRAN' Formation Aerobatic Team of the Indian Air Force, held the appointment of Flight Commander of a MiG-29 fighter Sqn and of the prestigious Flying Instructors' School. He is an A-2 flying instructor and a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.

During his tenure with the Suryakiran acrobatic team his excellent performance as a professional earned him a Commendation by the Chief of Air Staff in 1998. As a Flight Commander of a MiG-29 Sqn in 2002 he was once again commended by the Air Officer Commanding in Chief, Western Air Command IAF.

The officer was the Commanding Officer of a MiG- 29 Sqn from 19 Jul 04 to 15 May 06. He has led his Squadron from the front having set a perfect example of discipline, competence and professional standard for the rest of the air warriors to emulate. During the period of his command the Unit trained for and achieved a very high state of preparedness to undertake its operational tasks. He has raised the threshold of flying training to new levels having himself led the most demanding of the training missions. He has marshalled all the human and material resources placed under his command deftly and economically ensuring that the Squadron achieved its operational and training commitments in an exemplary and safe manner during the last two years.

He as a commander has worked relentlessly, always placing the interest of the service and air warriors above all else. This has resulted in exceptionally high morale and motivation level amongst all personnel of the squadron.

For exceptional devotion to duty, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Praveen Keshav Vohra.

Wing Commander Harpreet Singh Basra (19174) F (P) was commissioned as a fighter pilot on 19 Dec 87. Presently he is the Commanding Officer of a M-2000 Squadron. The officer has almost 4000 hrs of accident/incident free flying with almost 1500 hrs on the versatile M-2000 aircraft. The Officer has performed exceptionally well during his flying career and is an A-2 Qualified Flying Instructor, a graduate of Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment and Defence Services Staff College and has secured first position in both courses.

On taking over the Sqn, he laid special emphasis on improving the operational status of the Sqn. The Sqn has flown 2352 hrs in the last one year with the officer himself flying over 300 hrs, despite all the responsibilities of a Commanding Officer. The Sqn Ops Status has improved considerably with the junior most pilot averaging over 150 hrs in the last one year. He has been instrumental in inducting the first batch of Ex-Hawk pilots to the Mirage fleet, an event which warranted not only creating a new syllabus, but also tailoring the training pattern and learning environment to suit the requirements of the young inexperienced pilots.

The officer has consistently proved his mettle in various tasks. Under his command, his Sqn was declared the "Best Fighter Squadron of Central Air Command". Earlier, as the Flight Commander, he was instrumental in his Sqn winning the "Best Fighter Squadron of IAF 0304". The Sqn's performance during CASI, AEB and DASI inspections has been very good. Innovative and enterprising, he is constantly finding solutions and meeting the highest standards in all spheres for others to emulate. His innate ability to interact with the airmen and NCs(E) at the lowest rung has earned him the respect of his subordinates, both officers and men alike, and inculcated the spirit of unflinching loyalty towards the Sqn and kept the morale of his Sqn very high. This has manifested itself in high aircraft serviceability state of the Sqn, resulting in excellent performances of the Sqn in various exercises.

For his exceptional devotion to duty, innovation, foresight, planning abilities and professional excellence of the highest order, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Harpreet Singh Basra.

Squadron Leader Jasbir Singh (22702) F (P) is on the posted strength of AF Station Hakimpet since 06 Dec 04 and is the Senior Flight Commander of Kiran MK I Flt.

On 23 Aug 05, he was authorised as chase for a trainee's syllabus sortie, which was uneventful till peel off for a landing. While Sqn Ldr Jasbir was turning cross at a height of approximately 1800' to 2000' AGL, he had a bird hit followed by rpm stagnation at 20-25%, which is below the idle value. He appreciated the situation in its entirety and announced his intention to force land the ac on reciprocal to the runway in use. He held his throttle in the idle position, continued his left turn maintaining glide parameters, managed the R/T with ATC and ensured landing configuration before reversing the turn in time to align and force land the ac safely. A reconstruction of the whole profile confirms the fact that the pilot barely had 10 seconds to appreciate the emergency inside his aircraft, correlate his relative to the runway and monitor the traffic situation before arriving at his decision. If that window of time was lost either due to delayed appreciation or error of judgment, such a recovery would have been impossible. Post flight inspection revealed a near intact full-grown dead eagle lodged before first stage of compressor, confirming no possibility of relight. The pilot was within his rights to eject as per all existing SOPs. But since he successfully seized the timely opportunity to factor in all relevant aspects to arrive at the decision that he did, it saved an invaluable asset for the Service.

The extreme professionalism shown by the officer in face of deteriorated air situation ensured safe recovery of the aircraft. For his professionalism and exceptional devotion to duty, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Squadron Leader Jasbir Singh.

Wing Commander Subroto Kundu (20781) Flying (Pilot) is on the posted strength of Mi-17 Unit since 26 Sep 05 and has been functioning as the Flight Commander. He has been instrumental in planning and executing some of the major exercises undertaken by the unit. It includes induction of combat troops in the hills of Walong and casualty evacuation of CRPF troops by night, using Night Vision Goggles (NVG). These operations, carried out into the hills and the dense forests of North East, have given a fillip to the op potential of the armed forces.

On the night of 10 Nov 06, he was tasked for casualty evacuation of CRPF troops of 33 CRPF Bn, who were victims of an IED blast near Tinsukia. Though the weather was extremely marginal for the night flying, he decided to undertake this task in order to save the lives of the injured troops. He landed a Mi-17 helicopter in pitch darkness at an unlit helipad in the thick jungles near Roing with the sole aim to rescue the injured troops. He accomplished the task by evacuating one dead and other critically injured troops from Roing to Mohanbari, in a most professional manner. His professional courage and timely action saved the lives of two critically injured troops. The officer landed the helicopter on unchartered and unlit territory in thick jungles on a dark night displaying extreme level of courage and professionalism. Further, this operation was the first of its kind in the history of Indian Air Force and has projected the humane face of the service. For this act of exceptional courage, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)' to Wing Commander Subroto Kundu.

Wing Commander Jitender Yadav (21009) F (P) was commissioned on 15 Dec 90 as a Helicopter Pilot in the IAF and is on the posted strength of a front line Mi-17 IV Unit since Dec 2002. The Officer has flown more than 4400 hrs of accident/ incident free flying and is a Right Hand Seat Check Pilot. He has flown more than 1400 hrs of operational flying in his present tenure which includes various relief operations, CI Ops in J&K sector and more than 500 hrs towards Op Meghdoot.

On 21 Jun 06, a major road accident occurred hear Batot in Doda district of J&K. The Unit was tasked at 1745 hrs to evacuate the casualties from the accident site and Wg Cdr Yadav volunteered to undertake the mission. The closest Mi-17 helipad from the site was more than an hour drive and as it was late in the evening, Wg Cdr Yadav suggested that the Casualty Evacuation (Cas Evac) could be undertaken from Dharmund helipad, which was smaller than required helipad but very close to the accident site. The helicopter took off within 35 min of the receipt of the message although the unit was not standing by for a Cas Evac mission. On landing at the helipad it was revealed that there were more than 40 dangerously ill casualties to be evacuated and not 10 as was the initial message. Inspite of the best efforts by the crew members only 14 lying casualties with the life support system could be loaded in the helicopter. Due to gravity of the situation, the officer decided to take permission for a second sortie even when it was required to come back to the small helipad in the hills, on a dark night. He thoroughly briefed the helipad authorities regarding the lighting arrangements required at the helipad for dark night Ops and use of flares for illumination of the helipad.

Under positive clearance from HQ AOC J&K the helicopter took off from Jammu airfield 15 min after sunset for Dharmund helipad, which is located in Chenab river valley well into the steep hills. With a definite plan in mind, a well co­ordinated landing was executed at the helipad almost 45 min after sunset in total dark conditions. A total of 19 very critically injured lying patients were taken in second shuttle. A pre-planned take off into the valley and climb above the ridge was carried out and a safe recovery executed at Jammu Airfield. His relentless effort and untiring perseverance stood tall upon the challenge of landing on a small helipad, in dark night. With unwavering determination, the officer took calculated risk and that helped to save many lives.

For this act of exceptional courage and professionalism, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)' to Wing Commander Jitender Yadav.

Wing Commander Sartaj Bedi (21024) Flying (Pilot) is on the posted strength of a Mi-17 unit since 05 Jun 06, where he is functioning as the unit Flight Commander.

In Aug 06, the state of Gujarat experienced incessant rainfall leading to a deluge that left countless people marooned and bereft of any food or water. Consequently, the unit was tasked to provide four helicopters to provide succour to those affected, with Wing Commander Bedi as the Detachment Commander. The officer led his team from the front by carrying out relief operations from Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat. Braving incessant inclement weather he flew 33 hours, rescued 156 people and dropped 56 tonnes of relief material. All these survivors were rescued from their low-lying perches that were perilously surrounded by fast flowing and rising flood waters leaving them with no other means of escape. Displaying an acute sense of empathy, coupled with astute professionalism, which required hovering over the swirling flood waters, he winched up 139 persons, including 79 in a single day, on 09 Aug 06. Most of these rescues were executed in spite of the close proximity of tall obstructions and were carried out from as varied locations as vehicle tops, roof tops as well as from a collapsed building in Surat.

On 10 Aug 06, upon receiving information about the collapsed building, the officer reached the spot with all alacrity and found it to be amidst high rise buildings and other obstructions like tall trees and poles which were very close to the site. Knowing the importance of rescuing the survivors, but not being in visual contact with the survivors, Wing Commander Bedi instructed the crew of his helicopter to guide him over the spot and proceeded to winch up as many as 22 injured persons from the rubble. In spite of close obstacles and gusting wind conditions, he very ably used the crew's verbal inputs to maintain his hover position for a safe winching of the survivors. Given the marginal conditions, there was no scope of error and Wg Cdr Bedi had executed the task with unwaveri ng determination and professionalism. He further flew the survivors, some of them with serious injuries to a city hospital, a fact also commended by the local media. These singular acts of valour by the officer in the face of all possible odds, helped in the saving of more than 150 lives while also projecting a humane face of the service to the nation.

For his acts of exceptional courage, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)' to Wing Commander Sartaj Bedi.

Wing Commander Rajesh Ranwan (21812) Flying (Pilot) is on the posted strength of a Mi-17 Helicopter Unit since 27 Feb 06.

Barmer district of Rajasthan experienced unprecedented rainfall in the month of Aug 06. Very heavy rainfall on 21 Aug 06 resulted in flooding of Kawas, Malwa and Barkha. Wg Cdr Ranwan was the Det Cdr of the helicopter detachment that undertook the arduous task of providing succor, rescue and relief to the affected areas. Wg Cdr Ranwan, being the most qualified and experienced pilot in the detachment, flew missions in the face of the very trying weather conditions, ensuring that the marooned people were rescued and the stranded persons received food and water. On 22 Aug 06, he skillfully rescued 80 persons from Kawas and adjoining villages.

On 23 Aug 06, he was again tasked for rescuing the people marooned on roof tops of submerged huts in Malwa village. The weather, continued to pose severe limitations on the aircrew undertaking the relief operations. Flooding conditions was such that marooned people could only be rescued by a hover. Surrounding obstacles and heavy weather conditions had put severe limitations on rescue by hover. However, displaying courage, determination and professionalism, Wg Cdr Ranwan persisted with the rescue operations. Undeterred by the risks involved, he rescued 107 people, 80 of them, by low hover and 27 by winching, who, but for his brave, daring and professional flying, would have lost their lives. In similar fashion he had saved another 22 people from surrounding areas. Additionally, he also carried relief material for stranded villages in the affected areas, dropping more than 15 tonnes of food and relief material, thereby providing food and shelter to innumerable helpless citizens. The rescue missions carried out by the officer speak volumes of his courageous efforts displayed during the adverse weather and trying flying conditions, which resulted in rescuing stranded people from dangerous flood waters.

Before carrying out relief work at Barmer, Wg Cdr Ranwan was involved in relief operation in Gujarat sector wherein he rescued 63 persons and dropped over 33 tonnes of relief material. His efforts during these flood relief operations helped in rescuing 272 people who otherwise would have lost their lives. The Chief Minister of Rajasthan, during her visit to Air Force Station, Uttarlai, personally commended and thanked Wg Cdr Ranwan for his bravery and valour.

For displaying exceptional courage and professionalism under adverse circumstances, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)' to Wing Commander Rajesh Ranwan.

Squadron Leader Bhupender Singh Sehrawat (24203) Flying (Pilot) is on the posted strength of a Mi-8 Helicopter Unit since 30 Apr 03. He is a very keen and competent flier having 2604 hours of accident/ incident free flying.

On 15 Aug 06, Sqn Ldr Sehrawat, while airborne for flood relief operations, received a distress message from Nagpur ATC that a rescue boat carrying seven persons had capsized in 'Wainganga' river. Realising the gravity of the situation he immediately turned the helicopter towards the mishap area. Enroute, he carried out a meticulous in-flight planning and briefing. The weather was extremely bad with heavy downpour, strong gusty winds, low clouds and poor visibility, but he continued undeterred. After an extensive search the survivors were located, clinging onto tall trees in the swirling waters of 'Wainganga' river. Though situation was precarious, he kept his cool and decided to winch up the survivors from a high hover in between the tall trees.

Sqn Ldr Sehrawat, after coming to a high hover, descended his helicopter in between the trees with rotor tips barely clear of the branches and winched down one of his crew. Persisting on with his courageous effort he carried out a prolonged hover in an extremely restricted space, adverse weather and extreme regimes of performance. Through out he displayed selfless courage, exceptional skills, leadership and dedicated pursuance. By his timely and co-ordinated act of gallantry, he safely rescued all the seven survivors whose lives would otherwise have surely been lost.

For this act of exceptional courage, exemplary leadership and professional acumen in executing this complex mission leading to saving seven human lives, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)' to Squadron Leader Bhupender Singh Sehrawat.

768541 Corporal Prasanta Kumar Pati Engine Fitter is on the posted strength of a Mi-8 Helicopter Unit since 14 Jun 04. The state of Maharashtra was lashed with incessant rains in the month of Aug 06 resulting in floods. This led to a critical situation with lot of people stranded. He was part of the rescue operations at Nagpur.

On 15 Aug 06, Cpl Pati, an engine tradesmen was carried on a helicopter as part of crew for relief operations. While on relief Ops, the Captain of the helicopter received a distress message from Nagpur ATC that a boat carrying seven persons had capsized in 'Wainganga' river. Captain diverted the aircraft to rescue people from capsized boat. The survivors were located clinging onto tall trees in the swirling waters. The Captain then decided to winch them up from a height of 35 mtrs. Survivors were in a precarious situation and were not be able to harness themselves onto the winch. Someone from helicopter had to go down to the trees and help the survivors. Cpl Pati volunteered for this dangerous and challenging task.

In spite of the dangers and complexities associated with this task, Cpl Pati displayed courage and composure of the highest order and immediately got down into the swirling waters of the flooded 'Wainganga' river in which the survivors were holding onto their lives by clinging to the trees. He strapped up the survivors one by one from the flooded waters. By agreeing to go down in the swirling fast currents of a flooded river he displayed grit and determination of a true Air Warrior and in spite of no previous experience, handled the task professionally. By his timely act of courage he helped in saving seven lives which would have surely been lost.

For this act of exceptional courage in face of adversity while undertaking a life threatening task beyond his call of duty, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)' to Corporal Prasanta Kumar Pati.