Squadron Leader Ram Narain Agarwal (5951) Electrical Engineering was commissioned in the Indian Air Force on 1st June 1950. He has held a number of important appointments including those of Squadron Electrical Officer of an operational Squadron, instructor at Air Force Technical College and Electrical Engineer at the Institute of Aviation Medicine.

At the Institute of Aviation Medicine Squadron Leader Agarwal was responsible for the servicing of highly complex and sophisticated equipment such as the human centrifuge, low pressure chambers, climatic chamber and the hyperbaric recompression chamber. His work in this area was of a very high order and enabled the Institute of Aviation Medicine to meet all its commitments of research and clinical evaluation.

Squadron Leader Agarwal was also responsible for building up cold temperature research facilities at the Institute. The minimum temperature available with the imported deep cooling plant was only -10° C against the specification of -54° C. The manufacturers having failed to improve the efficiency of the cooling plant, Squadron Leader Agarwal took the initiative to modify certain electrical and other circuits, thereby bringing down the temperature to -50° C. This was done without any assistance or expenditure of foreign exchange. Simultaneously, he equipped a room to obtain a controlled temperature from 15° C to 0° C. These facilities have enabled the Institute to meet many of its commitments in the field of operational research.

Recently the Institute was required to resolve a thermal problem associated with a new type of aircraft. This called for a hot and humid room capable of simulating tropical conditions. The engineer's estimated for the cost of work was Rs. 75,000. Squadron Leader Agarwal was able to design and construct the room from salvage material obtained locally. The room has been an unqualified success and has enabled various combinations of heat and humidity to be obtained as required by the Research Team.

The human centrifuge installed by a foreign firm had an inherent defect of creeping and jerking suddenly on starting. This was accepted by the Manufacturers as being incapable of rectification. On his initiative, Squadron Leader Agarwal modified the electrical circuit and servo-mechanism which not only removed the defect but will also serve in prolonging the life of the equipment.

Squadron Leader Nanduri Mohan Murali was responsible for installing and maintaining imported electronic equipment at the Institute of Aviation Medicine. Besides, he has started the specialty of Biomedical Engineering at the Institute and some of his achievements include a design study for a Ballistico cardiograph and Ergometer for exercise at high altitudes as well as electro encephalograms for naval divers.

For his outstanding achievements, superior professional skill and devotion to duty he is awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal.

Wing Commander Kshounish Chandra Sinha (4856) was commissioned in the Medical Branch of the Indian Air Force in March, 1955.

Wing Commander Sinha has been associated with the Institute of Aviation Medicine since October 1963. In the Department of Physiology, he has built up a fine laboratory having Environmental Cardio-pulmonary, Metabolic and Biochemistry Sections. His efforts have enabled the Institute to undertake sophisticated research in the respective fields, and in establishing a rational basis of post graduate studies in the field of Aviation Medicine which have helped an all round growth and efficiency of the Institute.

Wing Commander Sinha has conducted a series of research projects on heat stress on pilots, with an endeavour to find out ways and means to prevent the effects of heat stress which affect flying efficiency of the pilots and endangers flight safety. On the basis of his findings, many preventive measures have been incorporated in the form of airconditioning of crew rooms and provisioning of protective cover to parked aircraft. Many other preventive measures suggested by him have been tried in the field and found effective in enhancing aircrew flying efficiency. Some of them have been accepted and some are in the process of being implemented. He has published a series of scientific papers in various scientific journals on various topics of aero-medical interest of utmost importance.

Another significant contribution of Wing Commander Sinha has been in establishing the facilities for research in the field of Ergonomics at the Institute, with a view to evolve a method of determining physical work efficiency of ground duty personnel under tropical climatic conditions and to suggest preventive measures against its illeffects. This study also aims at exploring the possibilities of rehabilitating cardiac cases into useful occupations after their recovery. He has also compiled data on the norms of Pulmonary Function Tests of Indian subjects, thus eliminating the confusion created by the dependence on European standards. His finding on the disorder of carbohydrate metabolism following head injury has been one of the pioneering works in the field. The same has been reproduced in the abstract form in NASA bibliography. His finding is one of the most well authenticated data on the subject available at present. Wing Commander Kshounish Chandra Sinha is a well known figure in the field of Physiology and Aviation Medicine. His contribution in this field is enormous. His excellent all round performance both in the Institute and various national and international seminars has won him the recognition as an 'Expert' in the Armed Forces Medical Research Committee. He is also one of the referees of the Armed Forces Medical Journal. He has rendered distinguished service, of a high order and is awarded Vishisht Seva Medal.

Air Commodore SC Luthra was commissioned on 19 Jun 63 in the Medical Branch. He was appointed Commandant of Institute of Aviation Medicine (IAM) in Sep 93. Immediately after taking over he brought the unserviceable Decompression Chamber not only on line but also upgraded it to attainment of altitude upto 1,00,000 feet as against the original capability of only 25,000 feet. He also took significant measures to maintain and upgrade Human Centrifuge of old vintage purchased over 30 years back to peak 100% serviceability state.

Air Cmde Luthra, with his vast experience of teaching and research and as Chairman of Board of Studies in Aviation Medicine of Bangalore University has been able to create ideal academic atmosphere at IAM. 33 research projects have been undertaken during his tenure. Aeronautical Research Development Board had funded projects worth Rs. 28.26 lakhs during 95-96. Psychological Research Centre, the first of its kind in the IAF, has been set up through pooling of local resources. Computerised Battery of Selection Tests developed by IAM are under validation through field trials. A film on Spatial Disorientation has been produced during 1994 and has been circulated to all flying units in the IAF. The average waiting period for Medical Boards has been brought down to 4-5 days as against 9 days for the last 3 years without compromising quality of assessment.

For distinguished services of a high order, the President is pleased to award 'Vishisht Seva Medal' to Air Cmde SC Luthra.

Group Captain Man Mohan Dogra (13755) Medical was commissioned in the Medical Branch of the IAF on 03 Nov 1974. For the past 25 years he has been practicing the art of Aerospace Medicine and has served as Sqn Medical Officer in a number of fighter Sqns and has also worked as an instructor in Aero Medical Training Centre (AMTC). Presently he is posted at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine since 11 Dec 2000.

Gp Capt Dogra is an officer with pleasant manners and firm disposition. He has indepth knowledge of the professional subject as well as the administrative aspects. He manages the unit well in the absence of the Commandant.

He has been intimately involved in the establishment of NVG Lab at this Institute. Under his leadership, a team of officers has been able to set up a facility, which is of state of the art and has futuristic expansion capability. During the past few years, he has led the team of specialists in evolving manmachine interface for TEJAS (Light Combat Aircraft). He has contributed immensely to the development of current cockpit design for TEJAS. He was instrumental in deciding various cockpit layouts of DHRUV (Advanced Light Helicopter). His keen and personal involvement in the display and sighting helmet for Mirage-2000 ac has resulted in ensuring early clearance of the trials by CHEMILAC. A team of officers under him has been working with Aviation Research and Development Centre (ARDC) of HAL on HJT36 and the cockpit configuration, the instrument layout has been finalised keeping in view the Indian pilot population anthropometry. His personal involvement in the canopy fragmentation system trials, ejection seat pull out trials and finalisation of the ejection seat for the Intermediate Jet Trainer for the IAF have paved the way for the rapid strides in its development.

He has single handedly managed to collate all the research projects carried out in the IAF under the aegis of AFMRC and Aviation Research and Development Board (AR&DB), Defence Institute of Psychological Research and task directions from Air HQ/Command HQ. This has helped in having a wealth of research related information for study and training. He has kept a firm vigil of finances allotted to Aero-medical research projects and avoided any wasteful expenditure. He has guided many post-graduate students to obtain M.D. degree in Aerospace Medicine. For his distinguished service of high order, The Hon'ble President is pleased to award Vishisht Seva Medal to Group Captain Man Mohan Dogra.