During 1942, AirHQ decided to start a training centre exclusively for Medical Assistant. Consequently, on 17 August 1943 Medical Training Centre, Air Force was setup at No 4 Hill Depot with facilities for training at British Military Hospotal (BMH), Chakrata in the Mussorie Hills. Initially the staff consisted of one IAF Medical officer (MO) and one RAF Instructor. Four RAF NCOs and eight aircraftsmen were given on loan from No. 4 Hill Depot.The first Commanding Officer was Sqn ldr MU Hayat Khan who opted for Pakistan on partition. Airmen trainees who had completed their initial training at No. 1 Recruit Training Center, IAF Lahore and No. 2 Recruit Training Center, IAF Jalahalli, were routed to Chakrata for trade training. General service Training was not given at MTC in those days. The duration of trade training was six months which included hospital training at BMH, Chakrata. In March 1944, the first Indian Nursing orderly instructor was posted to MTC. With the setting up of MTC , Nursing Orderlics were redesignated as Medical Assistants and were placed in Group III with airmen of the administrative trades. The Training Centre could not remain for long at Chakrala due to inhospitable climate unsuitable for Training . During October 1943 , Sqn Ldr MU Hayat Khan was posted out and Sqn Ldr BK Bhaduri was posted in. With his efforts the MTC was moved to Dehradun at the end of 1944. Thc Centre remained, on move again from Dehradun to Saharanpur for want of Permanent accomodation. During Sqn. Ldr. Bhaduri's tenure (October 1944 to April 1947) the center saw much expansion. Flt Lt DN Gupta also worked very hard in improving and bringing MTC to the standards of the training establishments. While the Training Centre was shifted to Saharanpur where it was under RAF Station, Sharanpur, hospital training continued to be imparted at Military Hospital Dehradun. Since the RAF station at Saharanpur was occupying the building belonging to Civil Aviation of India, and the same had to be returned, MTC moved to Jalahalli in November 1945 and then to Secunderabad. By january 1947 it again moved to hakimpet before settling down at Pune by October 1947. Independence Day saw the Centre being commanded by Sqn ldr JHF Manekshaw. The first ab initio course commenced on 7 February 1949.