Air Cmde Srinivasan Venkatachary, was commissioned on 19 January 1963 in the Accounts branch of the IAF. During his service, he has held assignments at Stations, Wings, Commands and Air HQ. Throughout, he has displayed keen sense of involvement and dedication.

As Joint Director Financial Planning since March 1991, he was involved in the formulation of Air Force annual budgets, monitoring of expenditure of acquisitions, modernisation, works services and locally controlled heads, besides keeping a close watch over the foreign exchange outgo vis-à-vis allocations. With budget allocations far below the projections, commitments on maintenance, modernisation schemes and contractual payments had to be very carefully and judiciously controlled. In the task of monitoring expenditure and regulating the allocations, his incisive scrutiny, apt prioritisation and skilful timely diversion of funds greatly contributed towards totally avoiding defaults in payments of contractual obligations for foreign acquisition, meeting all prioritised requirements of AF formations and optimum utilisation of funds by the allottees. It was due to his personal involvement that Air Force budget was fully utilised during the last three years. Management of shoe string budget with expenditure and prioritisation undergoing frequent changes at the level of Air HQ and the Ministry and diversion of funds for high priority schemes entails maintenance of accurate inputs through constant liaison with various agencies. Air Cmde Chary has always taken this task as challenge and

successfully ensured accurate inputs and enabled the authorities to make optimum use of funds.

For distinguished service of high order the President is pleased to award 'Vishisht Seva Medal' to Air Cmde Srinivasan Venkatachary.