Squadron Leader Uma Shankar Mishra has been on the posted strength of No. 17 Wing since 06 Dec 76 as Chief Engineering Officer.

Squadron Leader Mishra is an extremely devoted and dedicated officer with a professional ability of very high order. During his tenure as C Eng O at No. 17 Wing, he consistently and effectively used his initiative to bring out some very creditable improve ments in the functioning of the technical services and facilities located there.

It was mainly owing to his untiring efforts that the serviceability of the Canberra fleet improved from 28% in 1976 to 39% in 1978 and that of the Dakota fleet from 52% in 1976 to 56% in 1978. This was achieved by his personal intervention in the clearing of AOGs, effective snag analysis and rectification work and streamlining in the technical procedures and practices. It is indeed praiseworthy that during this period no accidents/incidents were caused by technical or maintenance lapses. Squadron Leader Mishra was the guiding and driving force in achieving this high rate of serviceability.

Over and above these major achievements. Squadron Leader Mishra's devoted and painstaking efforts ensured MT serviceability of over 90% and putting back on road several vehicles such as the Coles Crane, Class III Crash Tenders and several tractors and aeroplane tugs which had been off road for long periods of time. With his highly developed technical bent of mind he was also responsible for several innovations at the station level like the adoption of S-24 rockets for Canberras, the fitment of a Liberator bomb bay tank for long range ferries on Dakotas and the fabrication of a device for detecting faults in underground cables.

For his exemplary leadership, dedication to duty, admirable capacity of management and professional competence, Rashtrapati is pleased to award Vishisht Seva Medal to Squadron Leader Uma Shankar Mishra.

Wing Commander Homi Faramoroz Buhariwala was commissioned in July 1965. He was on the posted strength of a Wing from 25 Mar 85 to 24 Nov 86. When he was posted the infrastructure for electronic equipment repair of Jaguar aircraft was not at all established. With the equipment of fighter squadron with Darin-fit Jaguar aircraft, it became mandatory to set up these facilities on priority. Wing Commander Buhariwala with his electronic background and experience, set up the facilities of Darin equipment repair in an expropriated building. He had not only to put in long hours of hard work but excelled himself professionally also in setting up these facilities at this base which where not available anywhere in the Air Force.

Another challenge cheerfully accepted by him was in the beginning of 1987 when the new building for Electronic Engineering Complex was handed over. Here again this officer managed to move all the expensive test equipment from the old building to the new building in a record time of three weeks. The EEC set up at this base is one of the most modern in the IAF. This complex has been highly appreciated by everyone including the AOC-in-C Headquarters Central Air Command.

In another sphere of Aircraft Quality Control also this Officer worked hard with his team. He carried out detailed studies of specific areas of maintenance and produced excelled material for implementation. These studies include original ideas on maintenance activities conduction to safe flying.

For his dedication to duty professional approach, dependability and distinguished service, the President is pleased to award Vishisht Seva Medal to Wing Commander Homi Faramroz Buhariwala.

Group Captain Hariharpur Venkatasubbiah Hari Haran was commissioned on 24 December 1967 in the Administrative branch of the IAF. He has functioned as Assistant Provost Marshal at Agra and Dy Provost Marshal at Air Headquarters.

AF Station Gorakhpur is 30 years old and works services were needed to upgrade existing facilities and to create new assets for current requirements. He formulated the works plan to tackle both aspects and followed up with Boards of Officers for special repairs and new works. His personal involvement enabled retrieval of usable assets resulting in considerable savings and better utilisation of meagre funds. Simul taneously, he devoted his attention towards the runway resurfacing work, then in progress. His long hours on site with the engineers ensured adherence to specifications and time frames.

Works services by nature require time for execution. Gp Capt HV Hari Haran ensured reduction of lead time required for execution of works services through accurate forecasting and meticulous planning. He pursued all works with zeal and perseverance, and completed large number of them within the planned time. AF Station Gorakhpur was adjudged 'Best Administered Wing' of command in 1993-94 and secured 'Average plus' assessment in Administration from Directorate of Air Staff Inspection in May 1994.

For distinguished service of high order the President is pleased to award 'Vishisht Seva Medal' to Gp Capt Hariharpur Venkatasubbiah Hari Haran.

Wing Commander Sukhchain Singh (15808) Aeronautics Engineering (Electronics) has been posted at a major fighter base since 14 June 1996 as the Senior Engineer (Aircraft). During last nineteen years of his service he has had a rich experience of aircraft maintenance. He has been the STO of a fighter squadron.

He is a thorough professional and has in depth knowledge of all the aircraft systems and the associated support services. He has demonstrated exceptional ingenuity and initiative in the recovery of five fighter aircraft which were on AOG for more than two years. He also directed and motivated technicians to recover the long unserviceable testers and test benches. An aircraft simulator had been unserviceable for last two years. Though untrained and unfamiliar with the system, he motivated the repair team and recovered the Simulator in a record time of three months. This singular achievement has saved valuable foreign exchange and has made the Simulator available for operational training of the pilots.

Wing Commander Sukhchain Singh is also responsible for design and fabrication of an automatic voltage card for the Ground Power Unit of the aircraft. This hard to acquire component was locally manufactured and used to recover the unserviceable starting trolleys. Anti Collision Light of the aircraft were being despatched abroad for repair and were being, categorised non-repairable at the repair agency. He devised a completely new state of art electronic circuit to recover these assemblies. Ten such locally fabricated assemblies are flying on the aircraft. This has also saved valuable foreign exchange.

Wing Commander Sukhchain Singh is highly professional, deeply devoted to the cause of service and is an officer with a zeal to innovate. For his singular devotion to the service, exceptional professional knowledge and service of very high order, the Hon'ble President is pleased to award 'Vishisht Seva Medal' to Wing Commander Suckchain Singh.