Wg. Cdr. Naresh Kumar Midha has been engaged in operational flying in the Jammu and Kashmir area since 1961. Prior to that, he carried out a large number of air dropping and landing sorties over some hazardous terrain in J & K and NEFA areas. In 1960, while serving with the UNEF in Congo, he flew a number of dangerous missions. On 27th June, 1964, when he was taking off, the right outer wheel of his aircraft sheered off. He tackled the situation carefully and landed his aircraft safely. On another occasion, he evacuated a pilot who was seriously ill from a forward area in Ladakh despite bad weather conditions.

Throughout, Wg. Cdr. Midha displayed courage, professional skill and devotion to duty.

Sqn. Ldr. Vishwanathan Krishnamurthy was in command of a Reconnaissance Squadron in the eastern sector from October 1962 to April 1965. During this period in all difficult and hazardous missions, Sqn. Ldr. Krishnamurthy guided his men and proved himself to be a source of inspiration. During the trouble in Kutch, he volunteered for operations and carried out successfully all tasks assigned to him.

Throughout, Sqn. Ldr. Krishnamurthy displayed courage and devotion to duty.

Sqn. Ldr. Jagdish Kumar Seth has been engaged in air transport and operational training in Jammu and Kashmir area since 1960. Apart from his own operational flying, he has trained new pilots and raised their operational standard. He has carried out large number of supply dropping and landing sorties in forward areas. During the operations against the Chinese in October, 1962, he, in disregard to his personal safety, landed vitally needed reinforcements in an area and also carried out several reconnaissance sorties.

Throughout, Sqn. Ldr. Seth displayed courage and devotion to duty.

During the Chinese aggression in 1962, Fg. Offr. Bhupendra Prakash regularly undertook operational sorties to distant landing grounds and carried out supply-dropping missions in NEFA. On 10th February, 1964, Fg. Offr. Prakash was detailed for a communication sorties to Mechue. On his return flight, he encountered adverse weather, and when he was trying to make way through small opening in the heavy clouds, he met with an accident and was killed. He had flown 630 sorties and made 580 landings in difficult terrain in NEFA.

Throughout, Flying Officer Bhupendra Prakash displayed professional skill, courage and devotion to duty.

Fg. Offir. Krishna Vishwanath Rajagopal has been employed in a transport squadron engaged in airlift operations in Assam area since March, 1962. He has carried out over 1000 operational sorties at the various landing grounds and dropping zones in NEFA and elsewhere. He has fulfilled vital Army operational requirements by carrying out operational sorties in difficult terrain in bad weather conditions. Throughout, Fg. Offir. Rajagopal displayed courage and devotion to duty.

Fg. Offir. Jatinder Mohan Singh has been serving with a transport Squadron engaged in airlift operations in the Assam area. During the last four years, he has carried out many difficult air landings and dropping missions to several forward areas in NEFA and Nagaland. On many occasions, he voluntarily undertook difficult missions to hurriedly setup army posts and carried out emergency droppings under difficult conditions. He has flown over 2200 hours, including 1700 hours of operational flying.

Throughout, Fg. Offr. Jatinder Mohan Singh displayed courage and devotion to duty.

Fg. Offir. Ved Prakash Kala has been engaged in transport support operation in the eastern sector since December 1961. In early 1963, he was assigned the task of carrying out reconnaissance for dropping zones in the mountainous terrain in Joshimath and Badrinath areas. He carried out the task successfully. He has always volunteered for difficult and dangerous missions and has been able to operate under adverse weather conditions, flying over 130 hours per month even during the rainy season.

Throughout, Fg. Offir. Kala displayed professional skill, courage and devotion to duty.

Fg. Offir. Ranbir Singh has been operating in NEFA and Nagaland and has flown numerous missions to advance landing grounds in difficult terrain. Due to his intimate knowledge of terrain and flying ability, he was specially selected for flying the members of the peace mission during the peace talks in Nagaland.

Throughout, Flying Officer Ranbir Singh displayed professional skill, courage and devotion to duty.

Fg. Offr. Sadanand Ramchandra Pedgaonkar has been serving with a transport squadron engaged in airlift operations in NEFA and Nagaland sine May 1962. During the course of about 3 years, he has flown over 2000 hours, of which about 1500 hours have been on operations. He has successfully carried out landings and air dropping operations in many advance landing grounds and dropping zones. At times, when the exigencies of service so demanded, he flew as many as six to seven sorties a day. He flew over 180 hours in about a month's time during the Chinese aggression in 1962.

Throughout, Fg. Offr. Pedgaonkar displayed courage and devotion to duty.

Master Signaller Sailendra Mohan Roy has been flying as a signaler in Jammu and Kashmir and NEFA since 1956 and has completed over 1800 hours of operational flying. He has always volunteered for dangerous missions in complete disregard to his personal safety. During the operational periods, at all hours of the day, he was seen attending to the aircraft signals equipment to ensure success of the missions. He has contributed to a large extent in raising the professional ability of his colleagues and the standard of communication in his squadron.

Squadron Leader Maharaj Krishan Khanna has been a pilot in a squadron since 1959. Since then, he has given a creditable account of his professional ability and has always successfully carried out the tasks assigned to him. He has always volunteered for difficult sorties which proved extremely useful for the Air Force.

Throughout, Squadron Leader Maharaj Krishan Khanna displayed professional skill and devotion to duty.

Squadron Leader Trevor Theodore Oakley has been serving in an operational transport squadron since 1961. He has done a total of 4380 hours of which 1810 hours have been on operational sorties over NEFA and Jammu and Kashmir area. During the Chinese aggression in 1962, he flew 94 hours on operational sorties in support of our army in Ladakh. During the trying days when both Ladakh and Assam sectors had to be supported, he carried out sorties to forward areas and made his aircraft available for transport support operations in both sectors. As a member of the training team in the squadron, he has also been responsible for the conversion and operational training of a number of pilots. Throughout, Squadron leader Trevor Theodore Oakley displayed courage and devotion to duty.

Squadron Leader Hugh Lancelot Ford has been an instructor on deputation to the Iraq Air Force since November 1965. On 26th October, 1966, he was the leader of a pair of aircraft and was carrying out dual instruction with his pupil. While descending, his aircraft caught fire. The aircraft at that time was at a low altitude and over marshy terrain. Squadron Leader Ford tried to extinguish the fire but did not succeed. In these circumstances, instead of ejecting, he, at great personal risk, decided to forceand the aircraft. By accurate judgment und professional skill, he successfully force landed the aircraft in a small field without injury to his pupil or damage to the aircraft.

Throughout, Squadron Leader Hugh Lancelot Ford displayed courage and professional skill.

Squadron Leader Pradyot Kumar Dutta has been, serving with an operational transport squadron since 1963. He has flown a total of 4720 hours of which 2099 hours have been flown in operational areas in NEFA and Jammu and Kashmir in early 1963, when, after a supply dropping mission, he was approaching an airfield to land, a bird entered one of the outer engines rendering it inoperative. Undaunted, he skillfully handled his aircraft and ensured a safe landing.

Throughout, Squadron Leader Pradyot Kumar Dutta displayed courage and professional skill.

Flight Lieutenant Bobby Johnson has been serving with a Helicopter unit in the Eastern Sector. He has flown a total of 2375 hours, of which more than 500 hours have been on operations on helicopters, He also carried out many sorties on extremely difficult and hazardous missions. He undertook a number of commitments for His Majesty the King of Nepal and earned appreciation. He also successfully performed communication duties from and to Bhutan in difficult conditions.

Throughout, Flight Lieutenant Bobby Johnson displayed courage and devotion to duty.

Flight Lieutenant Hariman Singh Soorma has been a pilot in a Squadron since October 1962. He has undertaken a number of hazardous operational mission and successfully carried out the tasks assigned to him. Throughout, Flight Lieutenant Hariman Singh Soorma displayed courage and devotion to duty.

Flight Lieutenant Hari Mohan Tandon has been serving with an operational transport squadron since September 1961. During the operations against the Chinese in 1962, sometimes he used to fly as many as 8 hours a day on sorties to forward areas and flew a total of 91 hours. He has carried out a total of 3870 flying hours of which 1750 hours have been in operational areas. In October 1962, during an ammunition dropping mission to our troops, when one of the ejection crew suffered from lack of oxygen and the gunner, who went to his aid, also suffered the effects of anoxia. Flight Lieutenant Tandon went to the cargo compartment, pulled the unconscious men into the pressurised cabin and administered oxygen to them. He helped the other member of ejection crew to release the lashings of the cargo and then completed the supply drop accurately on the dropping zones by using the emergency operating switch.

Throughout, Flight Lieutenant Hari Mohan Tandon displayed courage, professional skill and devotion to duty.

Flight Lieutenant Gurbakash Rai Sahni has been a navigator in a Squadron since August 1963. He has always volunteered for difficult missions and has successfully carried out the tasks assigned to him. Throughout, Flight Lieutenant Gurbakash Rai Sahni displayed courage and devotion to duty.

Flight Lieutenant Amar Prakash Chandra Kapoor has been serving with an operational transport squadron since July 1962. He has always volunteered for flying most difficult and arduous tasks. Out of a total of 4350 flying hours, he has flown 1668 hours in operational areas. During the operations against China and Pakistan, he maintained high morale amongst the air crew of his Squadron. He was entrusted with the supervision of Junior pilots for operational training in supply dropping in forward areas. During a sortie, when he was carrying out a check on a junior pilot, one of the undercarriage tyres of the aircraft burst on take off causing the most outer wheel to disengage partially and resulting in severe vibration in the aircraft. He promptly took over the controls and ensured the safe landing of the aircraft. Throughout, Flight Lieutenant Amar Prakash Chandra Kapoor displayed courage, professional skill and devotion to duty.

Flight Lieutenant Harkewal Singh has been engaged in operational flying in NEFA and Jammu and Kashmir areas since December 1956. During this period, he has carried out a total 3441 flying hours of which 2255 hours have been over forward areas. He has frequently volunteered to provide transport support to the Army over hazardous and mountainous terrain and has been an example to the pilots of his squadron. Throughout, Flight Lieutenant Harkewal Singh displayed courage and devotion to duty.

Flight Lieutenant Ajay Krishna Avasthi has been serving in the Jammu and Kashmir and NEFA areas since 1960. He has flown more than 1100 hours in operational areas. On 22nd September 1964, while on a sortie to Leh, the starboard engine of his aircraft failed and the aircraft started losing height rapidly. With great skill, he manoeuvred the aircraft through narrow valleys and difficult terrain and landed safely at the base. On another occasion, when the starboard engine of his aircraft started backfiring violently at an extremely critical stage immediately after take off, he, with cool courage and great presence of mind, brought the situation under control and landed the aircraft safely and thus saved the aircraft and the lives of the passengers and crew.

Throughout, Flight Lieutenant Ajay Krishna Avasthi displayed courage and devotion to duty.

Flight Lieutenant Inder Puri has been engaged in operational flying since July 1962. He took part in operations against the Chinese and the Pakistani forces and in Nagaland. He has flown over 1100 hours on logistic support operational duties in a single engined aircraft. During the operations in the Rann of Kutch, he flew a large number of sorties for casualty evacuation from the battle area. On one occasion, he successfully landed at an unsurveyed area. He carried out the sorties in the battle area in an unarmed single engined aircraft in the face of intense ground fire and regular enemy fighter reconnaissance activity.

Throughout, Flight Lieutenant Inder Puri displayed courage and devotion to duty,

During the operations against Pakistan, Flying Officer Iqbal Fazal Husain, in addition to armed patrol over the Pasrur and Chhamb sectors, carried out two successive low level strikes against enemy targets. On 8th September 1965, he took off from a strike mission in a formation of four aircraft. Despite anti-aircraft fire, his section completed the task successfully. While returning to base, his aircraft flamed out owing to damage to the fuel system caused by enemy ground fire. He successfully ejected himself and landed only 12 miles from his base. He was seriously injured by the villagers who took him to be an enemy pilot. Despite the difficult situation, he refrained from using his fire arms in self defence. Subsequently, he was killed in a flying accident.

Throughout, Flying Officer Iqbal Fazal Husain displayed cool courage and professional skill.

Signaller/Air

Master Warrant Officer Venkatachalam Padmanabha Iyer has been serving with an operational transport squadron since July 1963. He has flown a total of 5278 hours which 1600 hours have been in operational areas in NEFA and Jammu and Kashmir. He has also carried out more than 600 sorties on supply dropping and landing at advanced landing grounds. On 28th September 1963, he was signaler of an aircraft which met with an accident while landing at Leh. The situation was fraught with grave danger as the aircraft was likely to catch fire. With cool courage, he carried out the emergency drill and saved the aircraft from catching fire.

Throughout, Master Warrant Officer Venkatachalam Padmanabba Iyer displayed courage and devotion to duty.

Warrant Flight Engineer Apurba Kumar Banerjee has been serving with an operational transport squadron since March 1961. During this period, he has flown a total of 2027 hours of which 1540 hours have been on operational sorties.

During the operations against the Chinese, he flew a total of 85 hours on supply dropping and landing missions in Ladakh. He also flew a number of sorties airlifting material and personnel to the Assam Valley. In 1961, he spent two weeks, during winter in Chushul to help retrieve a stranded aircraft. He has also been responsible for the operational training of a large number of flight engineers.

Throughout Warrant Flight Engineer Apurba Kumar Banerjee displayed courage, professional skill and devotion to duty.

Warrant Officer Samirendra Nath Bhattacharya has been serving with an operational transport squadron since October 1961. Out of a total of 3404 flying hours, he has flown 1660 hours on operational duties. He was instrumental in fabricating special tools required for loading and unloading heavy equipment and his squadron was able to supply large quantity of stores to forward airfields due largely to the initiative and professional skill shown by him.

During the operations against the Chinese in 1962, he always volunteered for any sortie during the day or night and carried out successfully a number of supply dropping and other missions.

Throughout, Warrant Officer Samirendra Nath Bhattacharya displayed professional skill and devotion to duty.

Flight Sergeant Vellayudhan Krishna Nair has been serving with an operational transport squadron since July 1963. He has flown 2352 hours of which 1504 hours have been in operational areas. At times, when his squadron was short of Flight Engineers, he volunteered on every occasion and flew 3 to 4 sorties a day and thus set an inspiring example for others. Throughout, Flight Sergeant Vellayudhan Krishna Nair displayed courage and devotion to duty.

Flight Engineer Koshy Thomas has been flying in Jammu and Kashmir since 1962. He has flown 1457 hours of which 1031 hours have been in operations. He has flown a large number of missions to advance landing grounds and dropping zones located in very difficult terrain. On 28th March 1965, during a flight to Leh when the starboard engine of the aircraft failed, he rendered valuable assistance in making a safe and successful single engine landing at Leh.

Throughout, Flight Engineer Koshy Thomas displayed courage and devotion to duty.

Flight Engineer Srinivasa Rajagopalan has been flying in the Jammu and Kashmir and NEFA areas since 1961. He has flown over 1767 hours of which more than 1000 hours have been in operational areas. He always volunteered for hazardous operational missions. His professional skill and resourcefulness contributed to a great extent towards the success of many operational missions. During the Chinese aggression in 1962, his aircraft was hit by enemy fire and damaged. Undaunted, he continued flying hazardous missions.

Throughout, Flight Engineer Srinivasa Rajagopalan displayed courage and devotion to duty.