Number Name Branch Died in Service? Picture?


Air Chief Marshal Pratap Chandra Lal

Service No & Branch 1567 F(P) (Orig: GD(O))
Date of Birth: 06 Dec 1916 Commissioned: 14 Nov 1939 Course: 1 OBS Course
Service End: Retired on 15 Jan 1973 Superannuated Died on 13 Aug 1982 (66 Years age) Flying Hours : 4322 Nick Name :
Qualifications Held :
Remarks :
Promotions Gazetted
Plt Offr : 14 May 1940Fg Offr : 14 May 1941Acting Flt Lt : 01 Oct 1943Flt Lt : 21 Sep 1944
Acting Sqn Ldr : 01 Oct 1944Sqn Ldr : 01 Nov 1946Wg Cdr : 15 Aug 1948Acting Gp Capt : 04 Nov 1947
Gp Capt : 15 Sep 1952Acting Air Cmde : 28 Jan 1953Air Cmde : 01 Oct 1958Acting AVM : 14 Nov 1959
AVM : 01 Oct 1961Acting Air Marshal : 15 Jan 1966Air Marshal : 15 Jan 1966C-in-C : 24 Nov 1963
Air Chief Marshal : 16 Jul 1969
Badges Qualified
    
Google the Bharat Rakshak Website for : "P C Lal"

Plt Offr

Flt Lt

Wg Cdr

Air Cmde

AVM

Air Mshl

Air Chief Marshal
Notes:1)Branch is at retirement and may not match with branch at Commission 2)Notional seniority is reflected in dates of substantive rank.

Appointments, Postings & Other Service Particulars

DatesRankUnitLocationAppointmentPhoto
- 18 Jan 1942Plt Offr1 SFTSAmbala 
14 Nov 1939 - 08 Jul 1940Acting Plt OffrFlying Training SchoolRisalpur Trainee Observer
08 Jul 1940 - 27 Aug 1941Plt OffrNo.5 Flight (Coastal Defence)Delhi Observer
07 Aug 1940 - 27 May 1941Plt OffrNo.5 Flight (Coastal Defence)Delhi Observer From SFTS to SFTS
28 May 1941 - 26 Dec 1942Plt Offr1 SFTSAmbala Instructor
27 Dec 1942 - 04 Oct 1943Fg Offr152 OTU Peshawar Instructor / Conversion
01 Jun 1942 - 08 Oct 1943Flt LtNo.152 Operational Training UnitPeshawar To 7IAF
08 Oct 1943 - 20 Jun 1944Flt LtNo.7 SquadronCampbellpore Flight Commander B Flt. Fm 152OTU
21 Jun 1944 - 18 Sep 1945Sqn LdrNo.7 SquadronPeshawar/ Imphal Commanding Officer to AirHQ
15 Sep 1945 - 04 Sep 1946Sqn LdrAir Head QuartersDelhi Sqn Ldr (Manning)
05 Sep 1946 - 21 Oct 1946Sqn LdrHQ Calcutta Recruiting Ar 
01 Nov 1946 - Sqn LdrAir Head QuartersDelhi Wg Cdr (Manning)
15 Oct 1946 - 15 May 1947Wg CdrNo.12 Squadron Attached Dak Conv
15 Aug 1947 - 27 Oct 1947Wg CdrAir Head QuartersDelhi Wg Cdr (Training)
23 Oct 1947 - 10 Dec 1948Gp CaptAir Head QuartersDelhi Gp Capt (Plans & Training)
11 Dec 1948 - 31 Jan 1949Gp CaptAir Head QuartersDelhi Gp Capt (Plans)
01 Feb 1949 - 06 May 1949Gp CaptAir Head QuartersDelhi Director (Policy and Plan
01 May 1949 - Gp CaptRoyal Air Force Staff CollegeAndover, UK Staff Course
06 May 1950 - 24 Jan 1953Gp CaptOperational CommandDelhi Senior Air Staff Officer
28 Jan 1953 - Air CmdeCab SecDelhi Deputy Secretary (Militar
11 Jan 1956 - 20 Nov 1957Air CmdeTraining CommandBangalore Air Officer Commanding
21 Nov 1957 - 13 Nov 1959Air CmdeIndian Airlines General Manager
14 Nov 1959 - 01 Nov 1962AVMIndian Airlines General Manager
01 Jan 1963 - 23 Nov 1963AVMPSO: Maintenance, Air HQDelhi Air Officer-in-Charge Maintenance
24 Nov 1963 - 30 Sep 1964AVMWestern Air CommandDelhi Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief
01 Oct 1964 - 14 Jan 1966AVMPSO: Planning, Air HQDelhi Vice Chief of Air Staff
15 Jan 1966 - 01 Sep 1966Air MarshalPSO: Planning, Air HQDelhi Vice Chief of Air Staff
01 Sep 1966 - 15 Jul 1969Air MarshalHALBangalore MD
16 Jul 1969 - 15 Jan 1973Air Chief MarshalAir Head QuartersDelhi Chief of Air Staff
 
Incomplete Information? Additions? Corrections? Please download Template File and follow instructions.

Awards and Decorations


Number of Awards: 4
    
Mentioned in Dispatches
Flt LtPratap Chandra Lal1567 GD(P)Award Date 01 Jan 1945Announced 01 Jan 1945
Details : Citation / Details Not Available
Unit : 7 Sqn
Reference : London Gazette 36866 pub 29 Dec 1944
Distinguished Flying Cross
Sqn LdrPratap Chandra Lal1567 GD(P)Award Date Announced 19 Oct 1945
Details : Squadron Leader Pratap Chandra Lal has completed a considerable number of operational sorties. He is a commanding officer of a squadron which has been employed on photographic reconnaissance work in support of the Fourteenth Army in the Irrawady Valley. He has shown exceptional qualities and keenness and has completed many hazardous sorties in the wake of strong enemy opposition. He has frequently penetrated deep into enemy territory in search of important information. By his coolness and determination, Squadron Leader Lal has set a fine example to all his pilots.
Unit : 7 Squadron
Reference : London Gazette 37313 dated 19 Oct 45, Page 5123
Padma Bhushan
AVMPratap Chandra Lal1567 GD(P)Award Date 30 Oct 1965Announced 30 Oct 1965
Details : VCAS
Unit : Air HQ
Reference :
Padma Vibhushan
Air Chief MarshPratap Chandra Lal1567 F(P)Award Date 26 Jan 1972Announced 26 Jan 1972
Details : CAS
Unit : Air HQ
Reference :

Accidents and Incidents: 1

DateAircraft TypeTail NoPilot/CrewUnitRemarks
18 Dec 1941DH86AAX800Sqn Ldr Bishop RAF
Plt Offr Pratap Chandra Lal
1SFTSWhile taking off fro

Articles from Main Site

A critical look at the 1965 operations by Air Chief Marshal P C Lal -

The data in the header section of this page comes from the Gazette of India - Click here to see the source
Note: All the data available here is publicly available in the Gazette of India, published by the Indian Government, or from public domain sources, press releases about Awards and Right-To-Information (RTI) Requests. Additionally data shared by veterans is added to the page with permission. No data with respect to serving officers below the rank of AVM is displayed. Information in Gazette of India and Award citations and photographs as released by the Indian Air Force are the only details displayed.