Wg Cdr SC Mukul was posted as Commanding Officer of one of the squadrons of the Air Force on 27 Nov 89. He is an A-2 QFI, who has also done FCL and Staff College Courses. The task of this assignment was reequipping the squadron with MiG-29 aircraft and getting the squadron operational in the shortest possible time.

Disposal of earlier aircraft and associated equipment, setting up flight and technical complex in a new location were all done with a great sense of urgency. Newly acquired ac and ground equipment was inspected and taken over from (Soviet) Erection Team with limited man power available in a smooth manner.

Squadron commenced flying on MiG-29 ac in Apr 90 with a nucleus of only a few MiG-29 qualified pilots. New pilots with different backgrounds were progressed speedily through conversion and OST syllabus. It goes to his credit that the Sqn achieved Ops status by August 1990 with sufficient pilots fully ops to take on operational commitments without a single incident/accident.

His Squadron was also given the task of imparting Dissimilar Air Combat Training to the MiG-21 Sqns in the western sector. This training was imparted with all the seriousness and professional thoroughness to pilots of a number of Sqns one after the other. It is to the credit of Wg Cdr Mukul that these DACT camps were always completed on schedule. An interesting development was the regular weekly continuation of DACT missions on completion of DACT camps with the MiG21 Sqns of the neighboring bases; the TRS of the MiG-21s landing at this AF base was looked after by his Sqn technicians. These DACT Camps and the procedure of weekly DACT/Buddy missions has enhanced the Ops preparedness of fighter squadrons tremendously.

For the high standard of professionalism and dedication shown in safe and speedy induction of MiG-29 ac at Wing as well as for achieving Ops Status of the Sqn and efficient running of DACT Camps with MiG-21 squadrons, the President is pleased to award Vayu Seva Medal to Wg Cdr SC Mukul.

Group Captain SC Mukul was commissioned as fighter pilot on 22 Jan 72. He has to his credit the command of a MiG-29 Squadron. He is an A-2 Qualified Flying Instructor, Fighter Combat Leader and Defence Services Staff College graduate. He has been on the staff of both Flying Instructors School and Tactics and Combat Development Establishment and has had a tenure as a flying inspector in Directorate of Air Staff Inspection. He has over 4000 hours of flying. He was appointed Chief Operations Officer of Air Force Station, Jamnagar in Feb 94. Jamnagar is one of the most active fighter bases as Squadrons and units of Training Command operate regular weapons training detachments at the station. 34 detachments operated successfully from base during the last year. During the calendar year a total of 15,010 sorties/10800 hours were flown. Such scale of operational activity from a single base was successfully coordinated by the officer. During 1994, Gp Capt Mukul was tasked to plan and conduct a Dissimilar Air Combat Training Camp for MiG-21 and MiG29 aircraft. He planned and executed this task flawlessly. A total of 800 sorties were flown. The station was assessed above the average in operations by the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection team.

For distinguished service of high order, the President is pleased to award 'Vishisht Seva Medal' to Group Captain SC Mukul.

Air Vice Marshal Suresh Chand Mukul VM VSM (12930) flying (Pilot) was commissioned on 22 January 1972 in the Flying Branch of the IAF. During his 34 years of service, he has held several important and challenging command and staff appointments, which include Commanding Officer of a MiG-29 Sqn, AOC of a front line station during Op Parakram, two tenures as Joint Director/Director Air Staff Inspection at Air Headquarters and Air Assistant to Chief of the Air Staff. For devotion to duty and distinguished services, the Air officer was awarded VM in 1992 and VSM in 1996.

The Air Officer has been working as the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Operations) [ACAS (Ops)] at Air Headquarters since December 2004. In this highly challenging assignment, he has a demanding task, with the responsibility of planning and coordinating all air operations of the Indian Air Force. On assuming charge in his present appointment, the Air Officer was faced with the onerous task of coordinating all air activities for relief operations, when the nation was hit by Tsunami. He displayed a very high level of maturity and determination in handling the emergency situation by decisively taking control of the situation. During the Jammu & Kashmir earthquake relief operations in October 2005, he once again displayed exceptional qualities of leadership and professionalism by effectively coordinating the massive air effort towards relief operations,

As ACAS (Ops) at Air Headquarters, the Air Officer has displayed the highest level of foresight and initiative to improve operational efficiency and professionalism in the IAF. He has been instrumental in successfully plan ning the executing various international exercises with foreign air-forces in India and abroad. Among these exercise, Exercise Cope India-05 with USAF arid Exercise Garuda-II with French Air Force at Istres, France are noteworthy, as they brought a high level of respect and accolades to the Indian Air Force in the international arena. His interaction with Command Headquarters, Army and Naval counterparts, through his initiatives and coordinating ability, has been instru mental in resolving many outstanding inter-service issues amicably, thus paving the way for closer tri-service operational coordination.

Air Vice Marshal Suresh Chand Mukul VM VSM has thus rendered distinguished service of an exceptional order.