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Air Vice Marshal Subramaniam Ravi Vridhachalem
| Service No & Branch | 18101 F(P) | Stream :Helicopters |  | |||||||||
| Date of Birth: -- --- ---- | Commissioned: 06 Dec 1985 | Course: 136 Course | ||||||||||
| Service End: | Retired on 28 Feb 2023 Superannuated | Nick Name : | ||||||||||
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| Google the Bharat Rakshak Website for : "S R Vridhachalem" | ||||||||||||
 Air Cmde |  AVM | ||||
| Dates | Rank | Unit | Location | Appointment | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Aug 2003 - 08 May 2005 | Wg Cdr | No.118 Helicopter Unit | Guwahati | Commanding Officer | |
| - | Gp Capt | 17 Forward Base Support Unit | Thiruvananthapuram | Station Commander | |
| 09 Dec 2011 - | No.118 Helicopter Unit | Commodore Commandant | |||
| 18 Dec 2012 - 30 Sep 2013 | Air Cmde | Air Head Quarters | Delhi | Principal Director (Ops, Helicopters) | |
| 01 Oct 2013 - 04 Oct 2015 | Air Cmde | Air Force Records Office | New Delhi | Air Officer Commanding | |
| - | AVM | Air Head Quarters | Delhi | Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Personnel Airmen & Civ | |
| Incomplete Information? Additions? Corrections? Please download Template File and follow instructions. | |||||
Awards and Decorations
Number of Awards: 2
| Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wg Cdr | Subramaniam Ravi Vridhachalem | 18101 F(P) | Award Date 19 Jul 2004 | Announced 15 Aug 2005 |
| Details : | Wing Commander Subramaniam Ravi Vridhachalem (18101) Flying (Pilot) Is on the posted strength of a Mi-17 Helicopter Unit as its Commanding Officer since 11 Aug 2003.On 10 Jul 2004 Wg Cdr Vridhachalem undertook a mercy mission at short notice from a village near Darranga, south of the International border with Bhutan. On reaching the area Wg Cdr Vridhachalem realized during the recce, that the Pugladia river had breached its banks splitting the village into two. The rising waters of the river were slowly submerging remnants of the village and the marooned villagers were faced with imminent danger to their lives. Despite the fact that there was no clear landing area available in the village, Wg Cdr Vridhachalem displayed gallantry in making a precise landing in a small water-logged clearing within the village. He hovered the helicopter low with one wheel touching the water-logged ground and evacuated the marooned villagers in an orderly manner.On 19 Jul 2004 Wg Cdr Vridhachalem received an urgent request from the DC Nagaon to launch helicopters for evacuating thousands of marooned villagers near Hojai. Two helicopters under the command of Wg Cdr Vridhachalem were launched for Hojai within a mere 30 minutes. The area near Hojai was totally inundated by the Kopili river. The river had breached its banks at a number of places and the resultant flash flood had taken the helpless residents totally by surprise. No clear area was available for launching conventional rescue operations. Assessing the difficult situation and the limited time available, Wg Cdr Vridhachalem brought the helicopter to a low hover on a submerged culvert, He commenced the rescue operation with the helicopter held steady at low hover over the culvert. I lundreds of civilians waded through waist deep water to board the safety of the helicopter hovering a few feet above the ground. He flew as many as 12 sorties to evacuate the marooned civilians without taking a break. The fact that such difficult operations were executed flawlessly by precise hovering over water, with frantic civilians clamouring to be rescued, speaks volumes of the leadership and professionalism displayed by the CO of the unit. The officer led by personal example in ensuring a high level of team motivation exhibited by all personnel of his unit In utiderlaklnn rescue missions under most difficult conditions.For these acts of exceptional courage in rescuing hundreds of lives, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)' to Wing Commander Subramaniam Ravi Vridhachalem. | |||
| Unit : 118 HU | ||||
| Reference : Gazette of India dated 26th November 2005 - No.130-Pres/2005 dated 15th August 2005 & AFD2006 Investiture | ||||
| Vishist Seva Medal | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Cmde | Subramaniam Ravi Vridhachalem | 18101 F(P) | Award Date 26 Jan 2014 | Announced 26 Jan 2014 |
| Details : | Air Commodore Subramaniam Ravi Vridhachalem, VM (18101) was commissioned in the Indian Air Force as a helicopter pilot in the flying branch on 06 Dec 85. A Qualified Flying Instructor and Instrument Rating Instructor and Examiner, the officer has more than 6000 h of flying on six types of helicopters of the IAF. The officer has commanded a Mi-17 helicopter Unit in the Eastern sector, has been the team leader of the IAF training team at Mauritius and Station Commander of an operational base. He is presently Principal Director Operations (Helicopters) at Air Headquarters since 18 Dec 12. Air Commodore Vridhachalem was the first Flight Commander of a Mi-17 1V Unit deployed in the Siachen glacier. During his tenure he was instrumental in operationalising landings of Mi-17 1V helicopters at helipads at an elevation of 5100 m in the main Siachen glacier. During his tenure as the Commanding Officer of a Mi-17 Unit in the Eastern sector, his Unit was awarded the coveted `Best Helicopter Unit of the IAF' trophy for the year 2004. The officer was also responsible for enhancing operational NVG capability of his Unit and commencing NVG flying in the hills of Eastern Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. During his staff tenure as Joint Director Personnel at Air Headquarters in 2006, the officer was responsible for manning of Helicopter pilots as well as UAV and SAGW Sqns. As team leader in a friendly foreign country he was instrumental in enhancing military cooperation and facilitating induction of an ALH into the Mauritius Police Force. As Principal Director Operations (Helicopter), he has been instrumental in streamlining Operating Procedures and policies pertaining to helicopter operations. The Air officer has also been involved in enhancing the operational exploitation of newly inducted Mi-17 V5 and ALH Mk-III helicopters. He has effectively monitored the utilisation of helicopters in IAF support to Op Triveni and has involved himself in great detail in compiling a comprehensive Joint SOP which will help IAF showcase its core competence while operating with Central Police Forces in anti-naxal operations. The Air Officer has also been closely involved in progressing cases for scaling of role equipment for all types of helicopters, which will enhance the operational capability of the Units further. When the devastating landslide and floods affected Uttarakhand, Air Commodore Vridhachalem was at the fore front of coordinating operations from Air Headquarters. The Air officer ensured availability of adequate air assets to cope with the magnitude of the disaster. The fact that induction of 45 helicopter of the IAF were coordinated and ferried from diverse locations within four days of the commencement of operations bears testimony to his professionalism. He also successfully coordinated all the requirements of the helicopter detachments that were operating from seven different locations. high order, Hon'ble President is pleased to award Vishisht Seva Medal to For distinguished service of Air Commodore Subramaniam Ravi Vridhachalem, VM. 103 | |||
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| Reference : Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
The data in the header section of this page comes from the Gazette of India - Click here to see the source
The URL for this page is http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/18101
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.