Late Air Vice Marshal Kanwar Jaswant Singh was commissioned in the Indian Army in 1937 and was seconded to the I.A.F. in 1940, where he served with distinction for over 22 years. He saw active service in the North Western Frontier Province and later led a squadron into operations in Burma during World War II.

After holding several senior command and staff appointments, he tool over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command in March, 1962. With the limited resources available to him he re-organised the various units under his command to meet the heavy task of logistic air support required in the Assam and NEFA areas. With the recent Chinese aggression, the operational commitments in NEFA assumed vast proportions but there was no commensurate increase in the transport aircraft available to him. Air Vice Marshal Kanwar Jaswant Singh faced the situation with determination and further re-organised his command to undertake logistic support operations in the NEFA and Assam areas. He not only planned and directed the operations but proceeded to set an inspiring example by personally leading many difficult airlift missions. These operational missions were beyond the call of his normal duties but he carried them out to infuse confidence in his officers and men with complete disregard for his personal safety. All through the operations he was a familiar sight at the forward airfields in that region, planning, directing and supervising the air operations. The enthusiasm and determination with which the Air Force carried out the tasks allotted to them in Assam and NEFA were, to a large extent, due to the sustained work done by the officer.

By his exceptional leadership, organizing ability and devotion to duty, Air Vice Marshal Kanwar Jaswant Singh has rendered most distinguished service to the Indian Air Force.

Air Vice Marshal (then Air Commodore) Minoo Merwan Engineer, MVC, DFC, was posted as AOC to No. 1 Group, which was responsible for operations in NEFA. During the Chinese aggression in Autumn last year, the operational commitments in the area assumed considerable proportions without any increase in the resources available to No. 1 Group. Air Vice Marshal Engineer, a veteran operational commander, faced the heavy task with his usual calm and determination, and personally planned most of the logistic support operations with considerable success.

The helicopter operations in NEFA were also controlled by Air Vice Marshal Engineer in order to achieve maximum utilization of the few helicopters then at his disposal. To infuse full confidence among his pilots in landing at difficult helipads at heights like Tsanghdar (16000 ft), he flew in the first helicopter to land there and organized the evacuation of casualties from that difficult helipad. On another occasion, he remained at our outpost at Walong till the last moment and flew out only when the landing ground was being shelled by the enemy. These operational missions were beyond the call of his normal duties but in carrying them out , he set a fine example at all times for his officers and men to emulate.

The task allotted to the Air Force in NEFA during the Chinese aggression, were carried out with determination and confidence and this was, in large measure, due to the leadership and unflagging zeal displayed by Air Vice Marshal Engineer. By his devotion to duty and sound organizing ability, he has rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.

Air Vice Marshal Yeshwant Vinayak Malse was commissioned in the Air Force in 1940. He has held important appointments in Air Headquarters as well as in the Command of various Air Force units. He attended the Staff College Course at Quetta in 1947; Senior Air Support Course at Land/ Air Warfare School, Old Sarum (U.K.) in 1951 and the National Defence College Course in 1962-63. He also served as Senior Directing Staff at National Defence College. He was appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Air Command on 1st October, 1964. During his tenure, the Command undertook a number of important operations and consolidated operational bases to face threat from China and Pakistan. The Command also undertook airlift tasks to support the Army located in the border areas. The extensive air support given after the insurrection in the Mizo Hills was handled by him with promptness and precision. Under his able guidance, the Command assisted the Assam Government in airlift and other tasks. He personally supervised these operations and, at times, participated in them himself.

Air Marshal Janak Kapur, VSM was commissioned as a pilot on 19 Dec 58. The Air Officer's potential as a fighter pilot was recognised within a short period of his commissioning and he was chosen to undergo Pilot Attack Instructor and Instrument Rating Instructor's Courses in quick succession. He was selected to undergo the Air Staff Course at Royal Air Force Staff College, UK. He also served as Air Attaché in the Indian Embassy at Cairo, Egypt. For his distinguished service, he was awarded VSM in 1976.

During his long service career the Air Officer has served in many prestigious and prominent command and staff appointments. He has commanded a frontline fighter squadron with distinction. He was appointed Chief Operations Officer of the then newly established Jaguar Base and later took over as Air Officer Commanding of the same base. He has held the sensitive appointments of Director of Flight Safety and later Air I of HQ South Western Air Command.

The Air Officer was appointed Senior Air and Administrative Staff Officer of HQ Maintenance Command for more than three years. Thereafter, he took over as Senior Air Staff Officer of Western Air Command in Oct 93 and very gainfully applied his vast experience to improve operational environment and the state of preparedness of the forces in Command.

A graduate of the prestigious National Defence College, Air Mshl Janak Kapur was appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command (EAC) on 01 Feb 95. EAC is a unique Command with dual role on fighter as well as Air Transport aircraft. Within a very short time, the Air Officer was able to appreciate the priorities of the Govt. and dovetail them with the Command Plans.

Air Marshal Janak Kapur, VSM has thus rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.

Air Marshal Prithvi Singh Brar AVSM & Bar VM was commissioned in the Indian Air Force in December, 1960. Since then he has held various flying and command appointments. His entire service has been marked with outstanding professionalism in every field of activity that he has been involved with. Throughout his distinguished career, he has always strived to set new standards in professional skill, dedication to duty and personal commitment. For his professional skill and leadership he was awarded Vayu Sena Medal in 1981 and Ati Vishist Seva Medal in 1983. In 1989 he received Bar to AVSM for his dynamic leadership and sustained hard-work in commanding a base in the south western sector.

During his tenure as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Air Command there has been remarkable all round improvements, not only in the operational capabilities of the various units under EAC, but also in the quality of life enjoyed by all personnel. One of the main tasks of the EAC is to undertake time bound training of budding fighter pilots prior to their induction into the front-line operational squadrons. In spite of manpower and other resource crunch, the pilot training has always been completed on time. Air Marshal Brar's innovative ideas and improved training programmes are the driving force behind this commendable achievement. His personal involvement in each and every aspect of command functions have resulted in many a innovations that have been implemented by other Commands in the IAF,

Air Marshal Prithvi Singh Brar AVSM & Bar VM has thus rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.

Air Marshal Harendrajit Singh Garkal VSM was commissioned in the Administrative Branch of the IAF on 15 December 1968. He is an alumnus of the College of Defence Management. During his distinguished service of over 35 years, he has held varied key appointments such as, Air Staff Inspector, Officer Commanding GCA Radar Squadron, Chief Administrative Officer, Senior Personnel Staff Officer, Air Officer Commanding Equipment Depot and Senior Officer-in-charge Administration. Presently he is Air Officer-in-charge Administration since 22 March 2004.

Air Marshal Garkal has brought laurels to the organisation through his exceptional calibre, sincerity, honesty and unimpeachable integrity. He has left an indelible stamp of professionalism in all his previous appointments. For his professional and distinguished service of high order, he was commended by AOC-in-C in the year 1977 and was awarded Vishisht Seva Medal in 1997. As Officer Commanding GCA Squadron, Air Marshal Garkal pioneered the integration of GCA and Air Defence radar for optimum operational Results. As Chief Administrative officer of a major base, he brought about perceptible improvement in all spheres of administrative activities. As Air Officer Commanding Equipment Depot, his far-sighted and proactive approach saw creation of some strategic, permanent assets, besides establishing an innovative inventory management system.

As Senior Officer-in-charge Administration at HQ Eastern Air Command, Air Marshal Garkal successfully used his vast experience to bring about qualitative and quantitative changes in the maintenance and upgradation of infrastructure. He took initiative to set up Command Museum and Archives. He ensured efficient management of Public funds and evolved an ethos of cost consciousness leading to desired improvements in all facets of administrative activities.

As Air Officer-in-charge Administration Air Marshal Garkal has initiated steps to ensure quality planning, effective monitoring and execution of operational and security related works. His professional and result oriented guidance to the AFCAO culminated into landmarks e.g. e-POR for officers and airmen, software for data inputs by units, etc. Under his able guidance, sports and adventure activities have got a fresh impetus. His tenure has brought in significant and genuine long-term welfare measures. A drive to improve education standards in Air Force Schools, office computerisation and greater attention to improving the infrastructure at remote locations deserve a special mention. His wholesome involvement and guidance are distinctly visible in every facet of administration, whether in support of operations, welfare, sports, discipline, security or financial management.

Air Marshal Garkal has thus rendered distinguished service of most exceptional order.

Air Marshal Fali Homi Major, AVSM, SC, VM (11442) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned as a pilot in the Indian Air Force on 31 December 1967. During 40 years of distinguished service, he has held various prestigious field/ staff appointments and has over 8100 hrs of accident-free flying to his credit. He is a graduate of the National Defence College and Army War College.

The Air Marshal had raised and commanded the first Mi-17 Squadron of the IAF and commenced operations in the world's highest battlefield, the Siachen glacier. He commanded yet another Mi-17 Squadron and led this Squadron into battle during the IPKF operations in Srilanka. For his leadership and courage he was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry).

The Air Marshal was instrumental in carrying out a daring rescue operation In which 11 people were rescued from a stranded cable car in the middle of a valley at the Timber Trail resort at Parwanoo, HP. For this act of Gallantry he was awarded the 'Shaurya Chakra' by the President of India. As Air Officer Commanding Leh in the aftermath of the Kargil conflict, he displayed great leadership in accomplishing all the tasks assigned to him. For his distinguished service of a very high order, he was awarded the 'Ati Vishisht Seva Medal' by the President of India on 26 January 2002.

The catastrophe caused by the Tsunami caused enormous damage to property and loss of precious lives in peninsular India, the Andamans and other South East Asian countries on 26 December 2004. As the Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations) he directed and controlled the relief, rescue and rehabilitation operations of the Indian Armed Forces in India and abroad. His relentless and unflinching dedication towards the mammoth relief operations ensured smooth conduct and completion in record time. He also brought about other improvements in the working environment of HQ Integrated Defence Staff. He carried out a major revamping in the Operations Branch and was instrumental in operationalisation of the “Interim National Command Post" (INCP) to facilitate coordination and decision making at the highest levels of Political and Military leadership of the country in the event of any National Crisis.

Air Marshal Fali Homi Major, AVSM, SC, VM has thus rendered distinguished service of the most exceptional order.

Air Marshal Pranab Kumar Barbora VM (12375) F (P) was commissioned on 13 Jun 70 as a fighter pilot. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and Fighter Combat Leader with over 3500 h of accident free flying. His impeccable professional credentials include tenure as Directing Staff in Tactics And Combat Development Establishment (TACDE), two tenures with Directorate of Air Staff Inspection and command of a Fighter Sqn. In 1990, he shaped the first ever Air Combat Simulator to hone the combat skill levels of fighter pilots. For contribution to the Combat potential of the IAF, he was awarded VM in 1990. He has also been commended twice by the CAS.

The Air officer contributed immensely towards air operations in Central Air Command where he served as the Air-I. For excellent professional knowledge and single minded devotion to duty he was deputed to Russia as the Air Attaché in 1998. He took on the mammoth task of ensuring the MiG-21 Bis upgrade and the SU-30 Mk-I programme which moved ahead smoothly. He ensured regular supplies of hard to get spares from the Russian industry by maintaining an excellent rapport with the Russians. He commanded a premier air base in the East which undertook flying training of future generation fighter pilots.

As AVM he served in HQ IDS in its formative days to put into place modalities of Perspective Planning and Force Structure of the three services. He was once again brought back to the Inspection Branch for a third tenure as ACAS (Inspection) where he brought about the changes to improve the inspection procedures and overall health monitoring system of the IAF as a fighting force. He was promoted as Air Mshl and appointed as SASO of Eastern Air Command (EAC) in Sep 05. With his considerable experience, knowledge and operational acumen, he overhauled the execution of Command policies in respect of operational training to substantially upgrade the combat capability and potential of the entire fleet of EAC. Under his close supervision the Command successfully conducted two international air exercises, namely COPE INDIA-05 and SINDEX-06 which were well appreciated in India and abroad.

He was promoted and appointed as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command on 02 Apr 07. He, with his inspirational leadership qualities, instilled zeal and confidence among st the field commanders. Bringing his per sonal rapport, he ensured that the PVSM 2008 || AVSM 1962 inter-service relationship continued to scale to new heights in the true spirit of jointmanship. Due to courageous decision taken by him, causality evacuation by night was undertaken for the first time from high altitude and inhospitable terrain of Arunachal Pradesh.

Air Marshal Pranab Kumar Barbora VM has thus rendered distinguished service of most exceptional order.