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Vayu Sena Medal Awardee List for the year 2011
A total of 20 Awards are listed.
Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) : 20 |
 Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wg Cdr | Sushil Chaturvedi 21720 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 26 Jan 11 | Announced 26 Jan 11 | |
| Details : |  Wing Commander Sushil Chaturvedi (21720) Flying (Pilot) is a Centre Seat Qualified flying supervisor and an alumnus of the Defence Services staff College and is fully operational on Chetak/Cheetah helicopters with over 5500 hrs of accident! incident free flying experience. Presently, he is the Commanding Officer of a frontline FAC Fit since 27 Jul 09. On 08 May 10, the station was tasked to undertake casualty evacuation in dusk period of J&K police personnel in critical conditions stranded in a fierce gunfight with. militants in the deep jungles of Lar in the Mahore-gulabgarh area at 9500 ft density altitude. Considering the degree of difficulty of landing at unprepared area in dusk period and evacuating from inhospitable and Anti National Elements infected terrain, Wg Cdr Chaturvedi was detailed to lead and undertake the mission. The survivor was stranded in a highly fragmented steep and uneven terrain offering practically no place to land. His first two attempts to land at the site in low conditions of light were aborted due to steep gradient of the site and inadequate place to descend amongst wild growth of vegetation. Despite difficult and trying conditions of inhospitable terrain and gusty winds, Wg Cdr Chaturvedi made partial landing on a roof top in a small area of 10 feet x 10 feet of a nearby abandoned house to evacuate one critically injured police constable. With his indomitable spirit, dauntless courage and disregard to personal safety, he saved the precious life of a J&k police personnel thereby boosting the morale of the troops engaged in the anti-militant operations in the J&K sector. This daring operation enhanced the image of IAF yet again. For displaying act of exceptional courage and professional acumen in the face of challenging odds to save valuable lives, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)' to Wing Commander Sushil Chaturvedi. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) | |||||
| Wg Cdr | Manjit Singh Sidhu 22334 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 26 Jan 11 | Announced 26 Jan 11 | |
| Details : |  Wing Commander Manjit Singh Sidhu (22334) Flying (Pilot) is posted to a Helicopter Unit and has been flying as captain of No. 3 helicopter in the 'Sarang' helicopter display team. On 27 Feb 10, Wg Cdr Sidhu was detailed to fly as Sarang 3 during a practice display for Vayu Shakti 2010 at Pokharan. The display was uneventful till the formation was rejoining for the final manoeuvre. As Sarang 3 and Sarang 4 approached the Grand Stand for a final split, Sarang 3 experienced a sudden sink of the helicopter, without any change in engine parameters. Wg Cdr Sidhu immediately handed over controls to the co-pilot to check for collective response, which was not there. He took over controls and correctly gauged the emergency as failure of the collective pitch system. This emergency is potentially catastrophic and the recovery actions have not been specified even by the manufacturer. In the 30 seconds, before the helicopter impacted the ground with no control on Rate of Descent, he gave an R/T call to caution other formation members and turned the helicopter away from the Grand Stand. With exceptional flying skill, he controlled the helicopter with help of cyclic and rudders only and selected a flat spot to touch down, in an otherwise undulating terrain. The helicopter impacted the ground with near level attitude and minimum forward speed thus avoiding toppling and with minimum damage of the helicopter. A quick switch off was carried out after landing and the crew exited the helicopter safely. Wg Cdr Sidhu displayed an exceptional degree of professionalism and courage when faced with an extraordinary emergency situation. His immense presence of mind and superior flying skills not only saved the lives of the aircrew on board but also recovered the helicopter with minimum damage. By turning away from the Grand stand he also saved lives of hundreds of people who had gathered to witness the display. The highly professionally executed "Forced Landing" also helped in investigations to resolve the cause of the incident. For this act of exceptional courage and handling an unparalleled emergency, Hon'ble President is pleased to award Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)' to Wing Commander Manjit Singh Sidhu. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) | |||||
| Sqn Ldr | Vikas Bhushan 27450 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 26 Jan 11 | Announced 26 Jan 11 | |
| Details : |  Squadron Leader Vikas Bhushan (27450) Flying (Pilot) has been on the posted strength of Su-30 MKI Squadron with effect from 27 Jan 09. He is a 'Fully Operational' pilot, 2 aircraft leader, trainer captain (Day), rated White' on the Su-30MKl ac and has approximately 650 hrs on type. On being posted to an Air Superiority Fighter aircraft without any previous exposure in Air Defence missions, he worked hard and made the transition in a professional manner within a short period. On 08 Mar 10, Sqn Ldr Bhushan was detailed to fly as Number 3 in a four aircraft formation for a practice live Medium Altitude Release over Pokhran range towards Exercise Eklavya. After reaching top of climb at flight level 245 and out of base by approximately 80 kilometers at an IAS of 660 kmph and Mach No. 0.82 and in radio contact with Delhi area, the aircraft front canopy burst. The pilot experienced sudden wind blast with extremely high noise level in the cockpit and a situation akin to explosive decompression. The pilot was hit by broken flying Perspex which hit him on the shoulder and also broke his helmet visor, resulting in lacerations on his face. As captain of the aircraft, Sqn Ldr Bhushan took control of the situation while remaining calm and composed and correctly assessed it as canopy burst of the aircraft. The officer controlled the aircraft and commenced emergency descent, simultaneously reducing speed. He took immediate actions of tightening harness and lowering seat. Even though he could not hear anything on the Radio Telephony equipment due to extremely high ambient noise and wind blast, he gave all the required calls to civil agencies in a calm and composed manner. On approach, at a distance of 2 to 3 kilometers from touchdown, the aircraft experienced increased level of cockpit noise and control vibration. The pilot increased speed to maintain the controlled state of flight and affected a safe landing. The canopy burst is amongst the gravest emergencies in any fighter aircraft. This is the first instance of this emergency on the Su-30 MKI and actions to be taken by the pilot as listed in the Flight Reference Card are very cryptic. Throughout the handling of the emergency, he had extreme pain in the ears due to the rapid decompression that the crew had been subjected to on canopy burst. By taking timely and correct actions, in spite of the physical injury and discomfort on his person, Sqn Ldr Bhushan displayed exceptional professionalism in ensuring the safe recovery of his aircraft. This could otherwise have resulted in the loss of an extremely vital and expensive national asset. For this act of exceptional courage and professionalism, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)' to Squadron Leader Vikas Bhushan. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
 Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) | |||||
| Air Cmde | Chandrashekharan Hari Kumar 15881 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 26 Jan 11 | Announced 26 Jan 11 | |
| Details : |  Air Vice Marshal Chandrashekharan Hari Kumar, VSM (15881) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned in the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot on 14 Dec 1979. During 30 years of his distinguished service, he has held several important command and staff appointments that include command of a Mig-21 Fighter Squadron, Directing Staff (Air)at College of Air Warfare, Ops-1A at HQ Western Air Command, Commandant of Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) and Air-I at HQ Western Air Command. He is a Staff College Graduate and an experienced Qualified Flying Instructor with over 3200 hours of accident free flying to his credit. He was commended by the CAS in 1997 and was awarded VSM in the year 2005. As Commandant of TACDE, he has been the exercise director of two international exercises with USAF (Cope India-OS) and RAF (lndradhanush) which brought in international acclaim to the IAF The officer took over as Air Officer Commanding of Air Force Station Jamnagar on 21 Apr 08. The Station operates many flying and Air Defence units. With his involvement he ensured high serviceability state of all aircraft and equipment due which all operational commitments were always successfully completed on time. Through good planning he brought about commendable and substantial changes in the infrastructure of the station improving the quality of life all personnel. He was also very successful in promoting sports and cultural activities on the station thereby giving opportunity to the personnel of the station and their family members to display their talent. Under the leadership of the officer, AF Station Jamnagar was adjudged the Best Wing, "Operations" of South Western Air Command in 2009. No 6 Squadron of this base was awarded the Best Fighter Squadron of Indian Air Force in 2009. Under his dynamic leadership, the wing was graded High Average during DASI Inspection in Oct 09. In 2009, AF Station Jamnagar was declared as the nodal centre for Cricket and achieved the distinction by construction of cricket ground with all the facilities required. For exceptional devotion to duty, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Air Vice Marshal Chandrashekharan Hari Kumar, VSM. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) | |||||
| Air Cmde | Deptendu Choudhury 17335 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 26 Jan 11 | Announced 26 Jan 11 | |
| Details : |  Air Commodore Deptendu Choudhury, VSM (17335) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned as a pilot in the fighter stream on 22 Dec 83. He has held the appointment of Chief Operations Officer of a Flying Station, Commanding Officer of Fighter Squadron, Director (Flying) in Directorate of Air Staff Inspection, Commandant of Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) and Director of Operational Planning and Assessment Group at Air Headquarters. During his tenure at TACDE, a record number of courses were conducted with a total of 5100 sorties and over 4000 hours of accident free flying on a variety of fighters, transports and helicopter aircrafts. He introduced Exercise - Rakshak for Helicopter Combat Leader courses and expanded Exercise Akraman by integrating transport aircraft of the Transport Combat Leader course, helicopters of HOEC course and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Under his command TACDE, produced a large number of tactical concepts and solutions, combat manuals and standard operating procedures (SOP) on operations. He also introduced the air defence simulator and Aggressor Cell at TACDE for operations training and development. He is Fully Operational and Master Green rated on all MiG-21, MiG-27, Su-30K and Su-MKI aircraft with over 3200 hours of total flying which included over 4500 sorties on fighter aircraft. The officer has the unique distinction of having successfully led three international flying exercise. He was the Director of Garuda 07 the Indo-French flying exercise in India. Thereafter he led the largest Indian Air Force (IAF)contingent for six weeks to United States of America for the prestigious multi nation exercise 'Red Rag'. On the way back from United States of America, he also led the team for exercise 'Desert Eagle' in United Arab Emirates. His meticulous planning, realistic work up training and hands on leadership ensured the IAF contingent for exceptional performance in all the exercises. During his tenure at Air Headquarters from 05 January 2009 to 24 March 2010, the officers was actively involved in the creation of the Directorate of Operational Planning and Assessment Group. As the Director, he was responsible for strategic and operational planning as well as revision of the IAF Operations Instructions. For exceptional devotion to duty, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Air Commodore Deptendu Choudhury, VSM. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) | |||||
| Gp Capt | Mehtab Singh Deswal 20131 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 26 Jan 11 | Announced 26 Jan 11 | |
| Details : |  Group Captain Mehtab Singh Deswal (20131) Flying (Pilot)was commissioned on 14 Jun 89. The officer is a Pilot Attack Instructor and an alumnus of Defence Services Staff Collage. He is fully operational on Hunter, Jaguar, Su-30K and Su- 30MKI aircraft with over 3200 hours of flying experience. The officer commanded a Su-30MKI Squadron from 01 Nov 07 to 08 Nov 09. Group Captain Deswal was part of the core team to be inducted on Su-30K aircraft in the IAF in 1997. On assuming command, he was tasked to re-equip the squadron with Su-30MKI aircraft. He went through the reequipping process in a methodical manner and besides exploiting the entire warranty on swap aircraft he ensured a serviceability of more than 75%. Under his command his squadron became the first Su-30MKI squadron to achieve 100% fully operational aircrew and ready to undertake any operational commitment within four months of resurrection. Group Captain Deswal created an excellent working environment that enabled his Squadron to perform outstandingly in all endeavors. Under his leadership the Squadron won the 'Team Event' Bombing Trophy during Exercise 'Eklavya' of Central Air Command in 2009-10. The squadron performed extremely well during inspections by Aircrew Examining Board and Directorate of Air Staff Inspection. Under his dynamic leadership and guidance, the squadron accomplished all tasks exceptionally well. For exceptional devotion to duty, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Group Captain Mehtab Singh Deswal. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) | |||||
| Wg Cdr | Siruvuri Sridhar 20138 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 26 Jan 11 | Announced 26 Jan 11 | |
| Details : |  Group Captain Siruvuri Sridhar (20138) flying (Pilot) was commissioned as a pilot in the flying branch on 14 Jun 89. He has held the appointments of Hight Commander of a Chetak / Cheetah Helicopter Unit, Joint Director Personnel Planning-II at Air Headquarters and is presently commanding a Chetak helicopter unit at Air Force Station Jodhpur since 07 Apr 08. He is a graduate from National Defence Academy and a post graduate from Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. He is a qualified flying supervisor on Chetak/Cheetah helicopters and is presently holding "A Master Green" flying category. He has an accident/ incident free flying of 4,920 hours to his credit and took active parting Op Meghdoot by flying 975 hours of Air Maintenance and Casualty Evacuation Missions in the Siachen Glacier. For his professional competency and devotion to duty of very high order, he was thrice commended in the past by AOsC in-C, WAC & CAC and by CAS. During the last two years as the Commanding Officer of a Chetak unit, he marshaled his resources well to efficiently accomplish all the assigned peacetime tasks and maintained the unit in a combat ready state at all times by effective training, maintaining high serviceability state of helicopters and development of espirit-de-corps amongst the unit personnel. Despite Chetaks being an ageing fleet, the unit maintained an average serviceability of 75to 80% during the period and flew a total of 3,926 hours free of any accident/incident. The unit also achieved the distinction of completing 25,000 hours of accident/incident free flying in Nov 09. Under his command, the unit was assessed as Average Plus in Administration & Maintenance and High Average in Operations by DASI. AEB visited the unit twice during the period and all the eligible aircrew have been categorized commensurate with their experience. Despite the constraints of shortage of supervisors and helicopters, the additional task of Stage III helicopter conversion training of six aircrew was completed on schedule. The unit flew extensively in the Naxal affected areas of Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra towards election tasks and did a commendable job. During the period, the unit Search and Rescue helicopters were launched thrice at short notice and saved the precious lives of ejected fighter pilots. For exceptional devotion to duty, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Group Captain Siruvuri Sridhar. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) | |||||
| Wg Cdr | Ravuri Sheetal 20490 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 26 Jan 11 | Announced 26 Jan 11 | |
| Details : |  Wing Commander Ravuri Sheetal(20490) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned as pilot in the flying branch on 16 Dec 89. A qualified Flying Instructor and Experimental Test Pilot with over 5000 hours of flying experience on various types of helicopters. Wg Cdr Sheetal took over command of the Sarang Helicopter Display team on 18 Aug 08. As the Commanding Officer and leader of the Sarang Helicopter Display Team he successfully led the Sarang display team at many important events and venues in India such as Air Force Day, Commonwealth Youth Games, President's Colour Presentation, POPs at AFA and NDA, Navy Day and Vayu Shakti 2010, to name a few. He has introduced new manoeuvres in the display, highlighting not only the versatility of the ALH helicopter but his professional and leadership qualities. He tailored various manoeuvres in the profile in a manner that they could be modified to cater to the peculiarities of the display venue without endangering flight safety. The experience gained in each detachment was collated and put up and validated as the Sarang Display SOP. Also, the lessons for each position during displays were compiled as Briefing Notes which helped improve pilot proficiency and enhance flight safety. Wg Cdr She eta I has pursued the procurement of professional video cameras, LCD TVs, kitting and publicity funds for the team, all of which have contributed to enhanced safety and improved displays from the Sarang Team and contributed immensely to the professional pride and motivation of the entire team. A testimony to his professionalism and leadership was that the unit ferried to AFS Gwalior for the Sarang display within three days of the completion of the unit move from Yelahanka to Sulur. He has also initiated the selection procedure for pilots to meet the requirement for Sarang display team in order to maintain the high skill level and caliber of the Team. For exceptional devotion to duty, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Ravuri Sheetal. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) | |||||
| Wg Cdr | Tejpal Singh 20724 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 26 Jan 11 | Announced 26 Jan 11 | |
| Details : |  Wing Commander Tejpal Singh (20724) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned in the IAF as a pilot in the fighter stream on 16 Jun 90. The officer after his initial flying training was posted as a squadron (Sqn) pilot in various MiG-21 units. His performance in the units was of a high order both professionally and otherwise. In 1998 he was selected to undergo the Qualified Flying Instructors Course (QF!C) and served for two years as a QFI. Through his dedication and focus he imparted training of the highest quality to his pupils. He was selected for the Flight Test Course (FTC) in May 2000 and thereafter served as an experimental test pilot in ASTE for four years. During this period the officer executed various important projects and trials. These included the integration of the electronic warfare (EW)suite on the Bison and evaluation of Phase I and Phase II Su-30 MKI aircraft. His concerted efforts ensured successful and timely completion of these projects while ensuring that all significant issues were resolved by the manufacturer prior to induction of these aircraft/systems. He was also instrumental in the modification of Su-30K aircraft prior to Exercise Garuda in 2005 wherein unconventional solutions were found for the integration of certain systems within a short span of time. Subsequently he served as the Flight Commander in a Bison Sqn. The officer is an A2 QFI and stood first in flying and aerobatics during the QFI. He was adjudged as the best test pilot during the FTE. The officer has undergone the Air Staff course in France wherein he achieved exceptional grading, thus bringing laurels to the nation and the JAF The officer is a keen sportsman and he represented HQ SWAC in Squash in 1996. He was commended by the AOC-in-C in 1997 and by the CAS in the year 2000 for his professionalism, devotion to duty and dedication to service. The officer assumed command of 23 Sqn on 18 Aug 08 and under his leadership the unit has performed exceedingly well. There has been an increase in the monthly task achieved resulting in an improvement in the operational status of the unit. The unit has undertaken a number of detachments including air to air firing of R-73 missile. The unit won two trophies in the annual gunnery meet and was assessed Hi Av to Av plus by DASI. The performance of aircrew in ground subjects was exceptional during the inspection. The Sqn formulated a briefing for conduct of UAV intercept capsule in WAC and was the lead Sqn for conduct of the same. Various works services were not only initiated but also followed through till completion to improve working and living conditions for the air warriors. The officer has led from the front and represents the true ethos of an air warrior. He has displayed exceptional leadership qualities and ensured highest levels of morale among his subordinates. For exceptional devotion to duty, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Tejpal Singh. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) | |||||
| Wg Cdr | Anant Mathur 20727 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 26 Jan 11 | Announced 26 Jan 11 | |
| Details : |  Wing Commander Anant Mathur (20727) Flying (Pilot)was commissioned in the flying branch on 16 Jun 90. He is a Cat 'A' Qualified Flying Instructor, a Test Pilot, and a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College (USA). He has been an Air Force Examiner. He was adjudged the Best in Flying, Ground Subjects, Aerobatics and Overall in the Flying Instructor's Course. He also stood first in the Test Pilot's course and the Staff College entrance examination. A combination of this feat has not been achieved by any other officer in IAF for the past two decades. He was a flying member of the first ever Jaguar contingent to Alaska for Ex Cope Thunder 2004. He has been the project pilot for the DARIN 11 programme and instrumental in developing new aircraft capabilities. He is presently the Commanding Officer of a premier front line Jaguar Squadron since 18 Aug 08. Wg Cdr Mathur led a 6 aircraft Jaguar detachment to Oman for an exercise with Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO). The officer planned the entire exercise with meticulous precision and skillful co-ordination. Due to his untiring efforts and hands on management, all aspects of operations, maintenance and administration were fully addressed. The realistic training of the team resulted in 38 direct hits out of 40 bombs during the exercise. The Jaguar contingent flew 135 hrs in 10 days of intense detachment with 100% serviceability. During the return ferry, the team flew 6 fighter aircraft with single IL-78 refueller for the first time in the history of IAF. Wg Cdr Mathur was instrumental in devising new procedures for traffic flow, weather abort and emergencies for the ferry with IL-78 ac. Wg Cdr Mathur has ably led the squadron where many milestones have been achieved. The unit has been commended by HQ CAC for achieving more than the tasked effort in all exercises. The unit was commended for its professionalism and work ethics by HQ WAC during Ex Abhyas where the squadron achieved 100% mission success and serviceability. The unit dropped twenty 1000 Ib bombs in a single detail, a unique feat in the history of Jaguar operations in the IAF. Wg Cdr Mathur used his expertise as a Test Pilot to institute Daily Snag Analysis Brief in the unit which ensured well directed rectification efforts leading to faster recovery of ac. This increased the average serviceability by 12-15% from Aug 09 to May 10. He has taken special efforts to improve the working environment and infrastructure in the unit leading to increased morale of all personnel. For exceptional devotion to duty, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Anant Mathur. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) | |||||
| Wg Cdr | Philip Thomas 20743 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 26 Jan 11 | Announced 26 Jan 11 | |
| Details : |  Wing Commander Philip Thomas (20743) Flying (Pilot)was commissioned as a pilot in the Flying branch on 16 June 90. He has held the appointment of Flight Commander (Fit Cdr) of a Bison Squadron (Sqn), Fit Cdr Flight Safety (FS) of a major flying base and is currently Commanding Officer (CO) of a MiG-21 Bison Sqn since 31 Mar OS. A qualified flying instructor, he holds a Masters in Business Administration and is a graduate of Defence Services Staff College. Within four days of his assuming command, the Sqn had to induct to another Air Force Station due to runway repair. The task at relocated station involved conduct of full-fledged operations with all the commitments expected from an operational Bison Sqn. Wg Cdr Philip personally lead to ensure that the Sqn men and material settle down safely and comfortably in the shortest possible time. His proactive approach, professional clarity and involvement ensured that the Sqn excelled in all spheres of activity. To cite a few examples; the Sqn was inspected by Aircrew Examining Board (AEB) while on detachment (det). The Sqn performance was average plus with nil failures. Further, the Sqn took part in the SWAC annual gunnery meet 200S from the det location and excelled by winning two team events and three individual trophies. During the extended det which continued for ten months till Jan 09, the Sqn had nil Human Error (Servicing) / (Aircrew) [HE(S)!(A)]accident/ incident despite flying 211S sorties/1430 hours. Post de-induction to Jodhpur, the Sqn was inspected by Directorate of Air Staff Inspections (DASI)in two phases. The serviceability state of the Bison, which had been a critical issue, showed a remarkable improvement and was sustained in both phases with the Sqn flying 13 missions/51 sorties and assessed as average plus in operations. Within a fortnight of the DASI inspection, the Sqn was inspected by AEB and despite the short gap between inspections, the Sqn performance was better than the previous one with above average assessment, nil failures and creditably, nil observations from AEB. For the Mini Fire Power Demonstration 2009 and subsequent Maha Vayu Shakti 2010, the Sqn was tasked for Medium Altitude Release of Bombs by night - a first by any MiG-21 Sqn. Wg Cdr Philip personally lead the missions ensuring operational excellence. In between these two major events, the Sqn took part in annual gunnery meet 2009 and once again excelled by winning one team event and the all important coveted Best Fighter Sqn trophy. Once again, the Sqn has had an enviable FS record with nil HE(S)/(A), Foreign Object Damage or Bird Strike related accident/ incident and most importantly, reducing the total number of incidents itself to just three for 2009-10 despite flying 2332 sorties/1625 hours. Also, Wg Cdr Philip achieved a milestone by being the first pilot in the IAF to record 1000 hours of accident/incident free flying on the Bison. Wg Cdr Philip, during his tenure as a CO, has lead his Sqn with the highest standards of professional acumen and elan. For exceptional devotion to duty, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Philip Thomas. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) | |||||
| Wg Cdr | Rahul Bhasin 20745 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 26 Jan 11 | Announced 26 Jan 11 | |
| Details : |  Wing Commander Rahul Bhasin (20745) Flying (Pilot)has been on the posted strength of 223 Squadron with effect from 03 Mar 08. Since then, he has been performing the duties of Commanding Officer of the Squadron. Shortly after taking over command, Wg Cdr R Bhasin was tasked with shifting of the Squadron due to planned runway repairs. The move, although ordered at extremely short notice, was planned and executed meticulously. The Sqn undertook trouble-free operations from the relocated station for a period of fifteen months, before moving back to the parent Air Force Station. The move back was equally well planned and executed, without losing out on even a single flying day. Under the command of Wg Cdr R Bhasin, the Sqn went from strength to strength, taking on all operational commitments assigned with distinction. These included numerous Command-level exercises, outstation detachments and commitments like the Air Force Flypasts in 2008 and 2009, both of which were personally led by Wg Cdr R Bhasin as leader of the Baaz formation. Wg Cdr R Bhasin ensured that the flying task undertaken by the Sqn was enhanced significantly. This enabled the Sqn to achieve by Jun 09 the enviable distinction of having achieved operational status for all its aircrew. With diligent application of safety norms, the officer ensured that the increased flying effort was achieved with a clean safety record as well. Under his command, the Sqn has maintained an accident/ incident free record since Aug 08. The Sqn also maintained a high serviceability state consistently and even achieved hundred per cent serviceability on three occasions. The performance of the Sqn was duly acknowledged, with the Sqn being adjudged as the 'Best Fighter Squadron' of WAC for the year 2008-09. Wg Cdr R Bhasin ensured that the Sqn lived up to its reputation by performing with distinction in all traits, in the DAS[ inspection in Mar 10. For exceptional devotion to duty, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Rahul Bhasin. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) | |||||
| Wg Cdr | Vikas Sharma 20757 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 26 Jan 11 | Announced 26 Jan 11 | |
| Details : |  Wing Commander Vikas Sharma (20757) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned in the Flying Branch as a Fighter Pilot on 16 Jun 90. In his 20 years of service he has crossed several important milestones. He is a Pilot Attack Instructor who was awarded the Air Chief Marshal Dilbagh Singh trophy for standing first in the overall order of merit in the course. He is also a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College. He has handled various important operational assignments as that of Flight Commander of a MiG-29 squadron (Sqn) for two and a half years and Chief Operations Officer of a Fighter Wing. He has been awarded twice with the commendation by the AOC-in-C WAC. He is one of the very few pilots to achieve 1200 hours of accident free flying on the MiG-29 aircraft. Wg Cdr Sharma was appointed as the Commanding Officer of a frontline MiG-29 Sqn on 07 Apr 08. Under his command the Sqn has been able to achieve exceptional standards due to his ability to motivate the men under him as well as by his displaying a very high degree of professionalism through personal example. Within two months of his taking over command, the Sqn proceeded on a year long detachment to a new base. He ensured that the move was executed meticulously and the Sqn was operational in all aspects within two days of the deployment. He made focused and sustained efforts towards up gradation of the operational capability and achieved a 100% operational status for the aircrew in Apr 09. The Sqn maintained a very high degree of operational and rating status and executed all the assigned tasks with a high degree of work output. In Nov 09, the Sqn was awarded the Standard by the President of India. The Sqn had to deploy for this task within a fortnight of moving back to base after the long detachment. The Sqn performed all the activities associated with the event exceptionally and earned accolades from all senior serving and retired dignitaries for the quality of its work output, cohesiveness and team spirit. Through his close personal interaction and genuine concern for his subordinates, he ensured that their morale always remained very high, despite the frequent movements away from the base. In Dec 09, the Sqn commemorated its Golden Jubilee. By his meticulous planning and attention to detail, he ensured that the all the events were conducted in a befitting manner. The efforts put in by the Sqn personnel were highly appreciated by all the attending dignitaries. The Sqn was inspected by the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection team in Mar 10. Due to his dynamic leadership and vast experience, he guided his team to achieve remarkable results. The Sqn was adjudged as 'Average Plus' in all the facets and also earned appreciation from the inspecting team for its high operational standards. His concern, zeal and enthusiasm have been mainly responsible for the Sqn handling one major event after the other smilingly and also producing exceptional results in each one of them. He has more than justified the faith placed in him by his superiors by exhibiting exemplary competence, professionalism and dedication. For exceptional devotion to duty, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Vikas Sharma. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) | |||||
| Wg Cdr | Joy Thomas Kurien 20782 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 26 Jan 11 | Announced 26 Jan 11 | |
| Details : |  Wing Commander Joy Thomas Kurien (20782) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned in IAF as a pilot in the flying branch on 16 Jun 90. In his nineteen years of service, he has served in various frontline fighter squadrons. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI)with 3375 hrs of flying experience, and is fully operational on MiG-21 aircraft. For his professional contribution and commendable service, he was awarded commendation by the CAS on 26 Jan 02 and on 26 Jan 09. He graduated from Air Command and Staff College, Royal Thai Air Force with Exceptional grading in 2007. Wg Cdr Kurien is on the posted strength of the Suryakiran Aerobatic Team since 10 Mar 08 and commanding the Team since then. During his command, the Surya Kiran Aerobatic team performed 65 displays in India and abroad. On taking over command, Wg Cdr Kurien had to reformulate the team as the earlier core members had changed. He trained the team with professional acumen, attention to detail and formulated new manoeuvers to set high standards befitting a National Aerobatic Team. The resultant displays within and outside the country have been of a very high quality and lauded by one and all. Wg Cdr Kurien led the team for the first ever displays in China and Laos. The team of 12 ac travelled 7215 nautical miles safely, transiting through eleven airfields in China, Laos and Myanmar braving adverse weather and inadequacy of navigational aids. The team performed at the T" Zuhai International Air Show and the IAF received praise and respect not only from the Chinese Air Force but also other participating countries and the Indian Ambassador in China. The team also performed successfully in the Aero-India 09, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh state raising day and in the 15t},International Youth festival at Bhubaneswar thrilling large audiences. Wg Cdr Kurien by his ingenuity and initiative has found solution to the various hurdles in the extensive display schedule and has ensure that all the tasked displays were executed in a timely and professional manner. Under his leadership, the team has performed at various locations showcasing the prowess and skills of the IAF in an exceptional manner. This has only been possible due to higher levels of training, dedication and devotion to task at hand. Wg Cdr Kurien has been able to mould the entire unit as a compact team, inspiring each team member to achieve professional and operational standards of a very high order. For exceptional devotion to duty, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Joy Thomas Kurien. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) | |||||
| Wg Cdr | Ganapathiraju Srinivas 21505 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 26 Jan 11 | Announced 26 Jan 11 | |
| Details : |  Wing Commander Ganapathiraju Srinivas (21505) flying (Pilot) is a graduate of the prestigious National Defence Academy (NDA) and was commissioned in the Indian Air Force as a pilot in the Flying branch on 14 Dec 91. He is a Commanding Officer (CO) of a front line Fighter Squadron (Sqn) since 04 Aug 08. Wg Cdr Srinivas is a Qualified Flying Instructor with over 2600 hours of accident and incident free flying, of which 2000 hours are on operational fighter aircraft. He has held the appointments of a deputy flight Commander (Dy Fit Cdr) of a fighter' Sqn and Station Flight Safety and Inspection Officer (SFS&IO) of a major fighter base before assuming command of the present Sqn. During his tenure as Dy Fit Cdr, the Sqn was adjudged as the best fighter Sqn in the command for two consecutive years. As SFS&IO, he was adjudged as the best SFS&IO in the command in 2007. The officer is an alumnus of the Defense Services Staff College with a Directing Staff (DS) grading. He stood first in the Flight Safety and Accident Investigation Course in 2006. He was awarded the AOC- in- C's commendation in the years 2005 and 2006. During his tenure, as the CO, the Sqn was awarded the prestigious President's Standard and celebrated its golden jubilee. Both these momentous events were conducted in a manner befitting the highest traditions of the IAF. As a CO, he undertook the herculean task of relocating the Sqn from Bhuj (Gujrat)to Nal (Rajasthan) in 2009. This incident free activity was accomplished in the shortest possible time, without stopping flying even on a single day. The Sqn has been imparting training to young fighter pilots, meeting all professional standards and deadlines. Under his leadership, the Squadron performed exceptionally well in all inspection visits by Directorate of Air Staff Inspection, and Aircrew Examination Board. The Sqn has been flying the highest quantum in Western Air Command, maintaining an average serviceability of nearly 75% at all times. The officer has always led from the front and served as a role model to his subordinates with his tireless zeal, knowledge and maturity. The Sqn has remained focused and motivated under his leadership with an immaculate welfare and discipline record. For exceptional devotion to duty, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Ganapathiraju Srinivas. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) | |||||
| Wg Cdr | Ashish Singh 21517 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 26 Jan 11 | Announced 26 Jan 11 | |
| Details : |  Wing Commander Ashish Singh (21517) Flying (Pilot) was commissioned as a pilot in the flying branch on 14 Dec 91. He has taken part in the Kargil conflict in 1999, flying 13 operational missions on the Mirage 2000, including live bombing of enemy camps. A Category 'A' Flying Instructor, he has been an instructor at Flying Instructors' School, and thereafter as Flight Commander of a Mirage 2000 Squadron (9 Sqn). He has undertaken a detachment of six aircraft to Singapore for a successful international exercise. He has been appointed as an Air Force Examiner at Aircrew Examining Board, from where he has also temporarily functioned as an Inspector for Directorate of Air Staff Inspection (DASI). He subsequently graduated from Defence Services Staff College, where he was awarded the Scudder Medal for standing first in overall merit in M.Sc. Defence Studies. He has flown almost 3700 hrs of total flying, of which 1700 hrs is on Mirage 2000. In his current tenure as Commanding Officer of 7 Sqn, the unit has flown 1900 hrs of accident free flying in the last 10 months, with the officer having flown over 270 hrs. Under his leadership, the Sqn has performed exceedingly well, getting a good grading from DASI in Sep 09. The operational status of the unit is very high with most of the pilots holding almost all the operational 'role qualifications'. All exercises and nine detachments have been executed well. The officer volunteered for, and subsequently led the 14 aircraft successful detachment for Ex Maha Vayu Shakti (FPD). This was the single largest tasking undertaken by any Sqn in the exercise, inclusive of 54 normal bombs and eight Laser Guided Bombs (LGBs) being dropped accurately. The Sqn's role oriented focus on armament firing has shown visible results. The Sqn has dropped a total of 11 LGBs successfully in the last 10 months and is the only Mirage Sqn to have carried out Air to Ground gun firing in over two decades, and bagged the trophy for 'Best in Operational Firing' during the gunnery meet Ex Eklavya 10. The officer leads from the front and encourages op-orientation in the Sqn. During DASI he flew five of the missions. During FPD he flew the LGB night mission. In Oct 09, when a fighter had to be flown outstation, he flew it himself at night under inclement weather, due to urgency of the requirement. He has originated five operational papers that have the potential to enhance the war fighting potential of both the Mirage 2000 fleet, as well as the Indian Air Force. For exceptional devotion to duty, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Ashish Singh. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty) | |||||
| Wg Cdr | Nongthombam Lokendro 22714 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 26 Jan 11 | Announced 26 Jan 11 | |
| Details : |  Wing Commander Nongthombam Lokendro (22714) Flying (Pilot) has been posted to one of the premier Transport Aircraft Squadron in North East Sector wef 30 Apr 06 and performing duties of Squadron Training Officer. Wg Cdr Lokendro, a QFI and graduate of DSSC, has been instrumental in consistently enhancing and maintaining very high ops status of Sqn pilots in spite of limited availability of flying effort towards forward area. He has been instrumental in carrying out almost every exercise successfully by this unit in last three years. He was detailed as Task Force Commander in various exercises such as para drop of Indo- US troops (Ex Vajra Prahar) in Aug 08 and in-situ para drop of 21 Para (SF) in Feb 09 and Feb 10. He has also taken part in various exercises conducted at 4 Wing. As Sqn Training Officer, he has played most crucial role towards achievement of "Best Transport Squadron in EAC" for 2008 by the Sqn. He has always led all the missions and operations, by his personal example for the rest to follow. His ingenuity in specialized training towards operational flying, enabled the Sqn to be judged 'above average' in operation during last DASI visit in May 09. He has always undertaken training flying of Sqn pilots in all roles of An-32, without ever caring for his personal comfort. He has undertaken incident free landing sorties at various challenging ALGs of North East, typical airfields like Barapani in Shilong and Paro in Bhutan for over three years. He has also been regularly undertaking flawless communication sorties for various senior service officers. During his current tenure he has flown over 1710 hrs, averaging a staggering figure of 438 hrs a year. Besides excelling in operational aspects, his leadership and guidance has ensured good inter personal relationship leading to excellent social environment in the squadron. His initiative and leadership qualities have been a great motivating factor for the Sqn personnel. For exceptional devotion to duty, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal' to Wing Commander Nongthombam Lokendro. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) | |||||
| Wg Cdr | Vivek Ahluwalia 21578 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 21 May 10 | Announced 15 Aug 11 | |
| Details : |  Wing Commander Vivek Ahluwalia (21578) Flying (Pilot) is commanding a premiere Mi- 17 IV helicopter unit in the northern sector since 05 Oct 09. He has flown 3532 hrs of accident free flying in his 19 and 1/2 years of service. On 06 Dec 09, a Mi-17 IV helicopter Z-3352 crash landed at Chungtash helipad near Siachen Glacier at an elevation of 15080 feet. The harsh climate, inhospitable terrain and high altitude with very low levels of oxygen rendered recovery of this helicopter near impossible. A workable plan requiring test of human endurance was conceived for the recovery. The helicopter that was exposed to extremities of cold & high altitude conditions was prepared for recovery. Wg Cdr Ahluwalia was tasked with evaluation, planning and recovery of this damaged helicopter. He meticulously devised the relevant checks and procedures required to ensure airworthiness of the helicopter. For humans to work in such unforgiving and extreme climate, stage wise acclimatization is a basic requirement to overcome physiological limitations of the human body. On 21 May 10, Wg Cdr Ahluwalia reached Thoise (10066 It) for three stage acclimatization to finally reach Chungtash (15080 ft) on 01 Jun 10. He thoroughly checked the damaged helicopter and evaluated the risk factor. The helicopter had been on ground for six months with heavily damaged nose wheel assembly and tail boom and was exposed to extreme environment with temperatures below minus 25°C. This exposure could have caused metal fatigue besides damaging rubber seals and critical components. This kind of enormous and specialised evaluation and tasking is normally handled by the Original Equipment Manufacturer and test pilots. However, the operational nature of location and the task required the recovery to be handled by a pilot with enormous field experience and exceptional operational capability. Having briefed and reassured his team, he started the helicopter at the crash site and later flight tested the machine. During the flight test, the helicopter displayed random handling problems and wind shield developed crack. The situation was analysed and handled in a professional and mature manner. The helicopter was successfully recovered at Thoise on 02 Jun 10 and later was flown to Air Force Station Hindon. For this act of exceptional courage, professional competence and successful execution of this high stress and high risk mission in extremely hostile terrain and inhospitable environment, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)' to Wing Commander Vivek Ahluwalia. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) | |||||
| Sqn Ldr | Dhruv Kumar 28186 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 09 Feb 11 | Announced 15 Aug 11 | |
| Details : |  Squadron Leader Dhruv Kumar (28186) Flying (Pilot) is on the posted strength of a Su-30 MKI squadron since 31 Mar 08. On 09 Feb 11, he was detailed to fly as a Combat Air Patrol Leader in an Offensive Sweep Vs Combat Air Patrol mission (Combat sortie) during Dark Night in local flying area at a distance of 70 km from Bareilly Air Base. During the exercise, he noticed that all Cockpit Instrument Displays, Head Up Display, Up Front Control Panel and the Mission Computer Data Interface Panel had blanked off. The Standby Compass and Artificial Horizon were also stuck. Thus, there was no reference of attitude or direction available to him. He correctly identified the emergency as a failure of the interface unit between the Mission Computer and the cockpit, and commenced priority recovery to Base. This is the first instance that an emergency of this nature has manifested in failure of even the standby instruments on the Su-30 MKI, which are critical for the emergency recovery of the aircraft. Faced with the challenge of flying in Dark Night with absolutely no attitude and heading reference available, he took the help of limited visual cues for maintaining attitude and effected a safe recovery and landing at Bareilly. in doing so, Sqn Ldr Dhruv exhibited exceptional flying skill, courage and airmanship to recover the aircraft and execute a safe landing in one of the most challenging conditions which can be experienced by an aviator. In face of such a grave danger, any error of judgment or flying skill would have certainly resulted in Spatial Disorientation and a catastrophic accident. Post flight investigation revealed a major failure of the Mission Computer Interface system. Simultaneous failures of Air Data System, Laser Inertial Nav System and Attitude & Heading Reference System were also confirmed in Flight Data recorder. Such an extreme emergency considered to be very rare which has not even been documented by the Original Equipment Manufacturer. Sqn Ldr Dhruv Kumar displayed grit, indomitable spirit, exceptional professionalism and flying skill to safely recover an aircraft in dire emergency. For act of exceptional courage and professionalism, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)' to Squadron Leader Dhruv Kumar. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
| Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) | |||||
| Flt Lt | Hasheer Hameed 29736 F(P) | Unit : -N.A.- | Award Date 25 Jul 10 | Announced 15 Aug 11 | |
| Details : |  Flight Lieutenant Hasheer Hameed (29736) Flying (Pilot) is on the posted strength of a Chetak/Cheetah Helicopter Unit since 11 Aug 08. The pilot has a total experience of 660 hrs. On 25 Jul 10, Fit Lt Hameed was detailed as captain of the Chetak helicopter Z-1810 for its ferry flight from Air Force Station Sirsa to Air Force Station Hindon. While the helicopter was being flown at 2000 feet and was 30 nautical miles out of Sirsa, he experienced loss of height and uncontrollable yaw of the helicopter from its flight path. The engine revolutions per minute (rpm) were seen reducing to 25000 from a normal operating rpm of 33500. Considering the limitation of the height at which the helicopter was being flown, the options available with Fit Lt Hameed were very limited. He promptly analysed the grave emergency and using all his professional skills, successfully maneuvered the helicopter away from an inhabited part of a village and low tension electrical cables to force land the helicopter. His actions of carrying out a force landing were very precise, which indicated quick and clear thinking in the face of a dynamically changing emergency situation around him. These prompt and courageous actions not only saved the helicopter but also averted a major damage to a village on the ground. After the forced landing, he saw flames coming out of the engine. Even though he was fully aware of the grave danger involved in going close to an engine on fire, he disregarded his personal safety and was eventually successful in extinguishing the engine fire with water brought from the nearby tube well. In spite of having limited experience of only 280 hrs as Captain on the helicopter, he displayed superior situational awareness and emergency handling skills. Due to his thorough understanding of the situation, backed with profound knowledge of the machine, he kept the situation under control and initiated correct recovery actions. He exhibited professional composure befitting an air warrior and quickly arranged for security of the helicopter and also informed the Air Force authorities of the incident and for quick retrieval of the helicopter. For display of exceptional flying skills, courage and professionalism in saving an aircraft and averting a major catastrophe on the ground, Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)' to Flight Lieutenant Hasheer Hameed. | ||||
| Reference: | Air Force Day Booklet | ||||
The Awards Database presented here was made possible by the kind generosity of Air Marshal Bharat Kumar, author of Courage & Devotion to Duty : A Chronicle of IAF's Honours and Awards (1932-2008). Air Marshal Bharat Kumar had very graciously given permission to reproduce the citations from the book on this website.
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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.