Wing Commander Rajinder was commissioned in the Electrical Branch of the Air Force in 1951. He has also successfully completed a Course in Flight test instrumentation abroad. During his service career, Wing Commander Rajinder has been closely associated with the design and flight testing aspects of prototype aircraft manufactured in the country.

During his 6 year tenure in Aircraft and Armament Testing Unit, he worked untiringly and raised a team of airmen in flight test instrumentation. On his own initiative, he commissioned a number of complicated and specialized equipment and undertook elaborate instrumentation programme on a number of pre-production models of aircraft. Throughout he displayed an aptitude for original work and devoted service. Then in 1968, when posted at Headquarters Western Air Command, he developed a modification which not only resolved the baffling problem of transport operations in the Command due to the non-availability of vital material, but in so doing enhanced the operational capability of the aircraft also.

Squadron Leader Mahinder Singh (4191) took over as Command Judge Advocate of Headquarters Maintenance Command in May, 1968. Prior to this, he was Command Judge Advocate at Central Air command where he was commended for his good work by the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief.

As Command Judge Advocate at Headquarters Maintenance Command, he has displayed great understanding and fore-sight in effective and speedy finalization of disciplinary cases through sustained hard work. He possesses a thorough knowledge of Air Force law and applies it with great confidence. It has been the result of his efforts solely that there are no arrears of courts martial in the Command. He has also been responsible for instilling a sense of urgency in the handling and disposal of disciplinary cases at all levels. Beyond the call of his duty almost single handed this officer has been responsible for issuing a number of pamphlets on legal matters which have been of immense help to the units, thus making a tremendous contribution towards good discipline and better administration.

He has carried out an analysis of the disciplinary cases to find out the causes of the various offences and made valuable suggestions towards the preventive aspect. Consequently, offences like absence without leave and rash and negligent driving accidents have been curbed to a greater extent.

The number of civil suits in the Command are the maximum, because of the large number of civilians working in its stations/ units. By his high professional skill, meticulous planning and liaison with Government Law Officers and counsels, he has ensured that the cases are properly contested. His mature advice and tactful handling of the arbitration cases, which came up before the Air officer Commanding-in-Chief, has led to amicable settlement of disputes, saying large amounts to the State.

His equipment background has been an asset in his professional assignments. He has also taken pains to improve his knowledge of law and other subjects. His contribution in all fields of work has been exceptionally high throughout.

Squadron Leader Viswanath Venkataramani (4970) General Duties (Pilot) has been the flight commander of a transport squadron since May 1967. During this period the squadron carried out nearly 18,000 hours of flying which was possible only because of his foresight planning and timely procurement of the required spares. He was also able to get the devoted co-operation of the repair and servicing personnel with his tactful ways.

Besides his operational commitments, being the only Q.F.I, he was also responsible for the flying training of a large number of raw pilots. He has worked with devotion, undeterred by aircraft un-serviceability and lack of other instructional staff, and has been able to prepare 20 pilots or categorization/ upgrading in a period of two years. In so doing, he has put in nearly 3,000 hours of instructional flying without an incident.

Squadron Leader Madhavakrish Khashav (5119) General Duties (Pilot) has been a senior instructor at the Flying Instructors' School since November 1966. He has flown a total of 3500 hours inclusive of 2000 hours of accident free instructional flying. He also holds an A-2 instructor category. Through his preserving effort and inspiration, many unpromising pilot have qualified as Q.F.Is and are doing well in their instructional duties. In addition to training commitments, Squadron Leader Khashav has also successfully organized various flight safety programmes with remarkable results.

Squadron Leader Khashav has rendered valuable service of considerable significance to the Air Force.

Squadron Leader Bansidar Srinivas Hatangadi has been the Senor technical Officer at a Signals Units since August, 1967. Through hard work and initiative he has evolved and organised a speedy and precise system of overhauling the sets. His methods will be a valuable asset for future overhauls of the set at other locations also. He has also been responsible for the successful deployment of the Signals equipment at distant alternate sites during the conduct of various operational exercises. The lessons leant in this regard will be of immense value to the service.

He has always applied himself with zeal to overcome any problem. Seized of serious limitation on the operational capability of a set when deployed in hilly areas, he devised a simple modification to overcome these drawbacks. The modification has greatly enhanced the operational potential of the set besides enlarging the areas of its deployment. He has also been responsible for evolving a trainable pattern, based on analysis and practical experience, which has since been recognized in the Service.

Flight Lieutenant Amarjeet Singh Kullar (5854) VrC General Duties (Pilot) has flown over 2,200 hours during his service of about nine years. He also holds the highest Q.F.I category 'A-1'. He was posted to the Aircrew Examining Board in 1966. During this tenure he has been employed on the categorization of Q.F.Is. Standardization and instrument rating of A.O.P. pilots, standardization of pupil pilots training and the testing of the jet pilots for instrument rating. By his dedication, enthusiasm for flying and hard work beyond the call of duty he has contributed greatly in enhancing the number of A2/A1 Q.F.Is. and in initiating and finalizing the categorization scheme for helicopter pilots.

Flight Lieutenant Kullar has had a brilliant career in the service all along. He stood first at the N.D.A winning the Gliding Trophy. Later, during the flying training period he won the President's plaque and the Air Chief's Medal. He kept up this high performance during his Squadron service and at the Flying Instructor's School by winning a number of competitive awards. He proved his mettle again by winning the Vir Chakra in the Pakistan conflict of 1965.

A Helicopter while landing crashed on an inaccessible helipad on 4th August, 1968 and suffered very sever damages. The aircraft was initially surveyed and was found to be beyond recovery due top the lack of communication facilities in the area. In spite of this, Flight Lieutenant Varghese took up this challenging task with practically no servicing experience or training on the type. He finally led a party of men to the crash site on 23rd April, 1969 and had the aircraft flown out on 12th May, 1969 after carrying out patch-repairs.

For carrying out this task, Flight Lieutenant Varghese had to improvise on the spot repair schemes. He showed the same ingenuity and resource fullness for air lifting a serviceable engine to the site, in a Helicopter. Besides tackling these complex technical problems, he also sustained the morale of his men in the face of extremely adverse conditions like lack of communication, medical attention and at time proper food. He thus displayed outstanding qualities of professional skill, leadership and devotion to duty. His devoted efforts also resulted in the saving of approximately Rupees twenty lakhs.

Warrant Officer Saroj Ranjan Chandra is one of the oldest members the engine repair section of Base Repair Depot and is currently employed as Warrant Officer-in-Charge Engine Test Bench. He has also received training abroad on jet engine testing and Universal Test Bench. In all his assignments he has consistently worked with devotion and has shown qualities of leadership.

Warrant officer Chandra has displayed originality in adapting old engine test bed for testing new engines and has also installed ACRE cold air units and turbine cooler testing unit without any outside help. Another notable achievement of this Warrant Officer is the manufacture of test bench for testing engines of particular type of helicopter from indigenous resources. This test bench is now in service use. Again by ingenuity and high professional skill he speedily repaired an engine test bed which was damaged seriously due to an engine explosion in the depot.

Flight Sergeant Churackamanill Mathew Abraham has been on the posted strength of Signals Unit, since July, 1967. He was associated with the installation of sophisticated radar Equipment from the very beginning. Prior to the installation work, he was responsible for positioning and arranging of the equipment at the site. Flight Sergeant Abraham played a significant part in the installation of this massive equipment and was primarily responsible for its final alignment, and subsequent checks.

Due to the remote location of the unit and lack of technical facilities nearby, a number of technical problems arise during this time. Some items of test equipment which came along with the main equipment were also found to be unserviceable. Besides, the literature relating to the equipment itself was not complete. Undaunted, he made the defective equipment serviceable and resolved the other technical problems competently with drive and initiative. He also helped in building up a nucleus of maintenance technicians.

In spite of this heavy working routine, Flight Sergeant Abraham has taken an active interest in sports and cultural activities of the unit. He has thus set an exemplary standard both in his professional and non professional activities.

201852 Flight sergeant Jotindra Nath, Fitter 1 has been the senior non-commissioned officer-in-charge Daily servicing Section in an operation Squadron since May, 1967. The squadron carries out flying both by day and night. Consequently, the Daily servicing Section has to plan and carry out its work on round the clock basis. Flight Sergeant Kaul has organized this complex work with credit. As a result, the squadron has successfully completed its allotted tasks, despite shortage of spares and limitations of manpower.

In addition to his primary duties in the Daily Servicing Section Flight Sergeant Jotindra Nath Kaul has been responsible for supervising the training of technicians to form the nucleus of trained manpower for other squadrons re-equipping with the same type of aircraft. Further, on many occasions he had to share the work of the central repair and servicing section also to enable the station to meet the heavy demands of operational and training flying. In all these tasks, Flight Sergeant Kaul has been a source of inspiration to others.

Flight Sergeant Kaul is brilliant example of an airman displaying a high professional skill.

206773 Flight Sergeant Mannamkunnath Goplan has been in an operational Squadron since May 1966. As SNCO i/c Electrical Section - a key section for the operation of a modern aircraft with their complex electrical circuits and instruments, he has discharged his duties with zeal, perseverance and efficiency. With his initiative, enthusiasm and professional skill he has ensured high rate of aircraft serviceability even though these aircraft were newly introduced in service and there was general shortage of trained personnel.

He has been responsible for fabricating a number of test equipment for electrical components which were not readily available. On his own initiative he also fabricated from indigenous resources, within a matter of 15 days, facilities for inhibiting an aero-engine. The rig has proved most reliable and simple and has saved considerable man hours.

The professional skill and devotion to duty of this SNCO has been a source of inspiration to all those working under him.

219257 Sergeant Prana Krishan Misra, F.II.A has been on the posted strength of an operational squadron since March, 1961. Throughout his stay in the squadron he has worked with zeal and vigor. His skilful diagnosis of faults and their rectification has saved innumerable man-hours and avoided unnecessary replacement of expensive spares. His ever-readiness and known capacity for sustained hard work has earned him immense respect and admiration from all men.

During his stay in the squadron he has been called upon to perform many difficult tasks under trying conditions. Once, during the Chinese aggression in 1962, he was the only tradesman in the entire servicing party to look after the servicing of six aircraft detachment. Through only a Corporal then, he worked with initiative and ensured 100% serviceability of all the aircraft despite lack of spares and manpower. On another occasion, he had to service an aircraft, after the failure of complete hydraulic system, without the requisite ground equipment.

Throughout his service career Sergeant Misra has displayed high professional skill and singular devotion to duty. He has accomplished many difficult tasks though his initiative and organizing ability.