Air Chief Marshal Surinder Kumar Mehra (15 November 1932 – 8 December 2003),

PVSM Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) (IAST: ) is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then it is awarded in recognition to peace-time service of the most exceptional order and may be awarded posthumously. All ranks of the ...

AVSM Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) is a military award of India given to recognize "distinguished service of an exceptional order" to all ranks of the armed forces. The award is a peacetime equivalent of Uttam Yuddh Seva Medal, which is a Wartime Dis ...

, VM, was the Chief of Air Staff of Indian Air Force from 1 August 1988 until 31 July 1991. He was born in

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders ...

Early life

He was born in Delhi on 15 November 1932, educated at the Modern School in New Delhi, and thereafter at the

Delhi University Delhi University (DU), formally the University of Delhi, is a collegiate central university located in New Delhi, India. It was founded in 1922 by an Act of the Central Legislative Assembly and is recognized as an Institute of Eminence (IoE) ...

Career

He was commissioned in the Indian Air Force in December 1951 as a fighter pilot. From 1973 to 1976 he went on to command the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment division, followed by posting as Air Attaché in the Indian Ambassador's Office in Russia. He was awarded AVSM in 1976. After being promoted to the rank of Air Commodore, he assumed command of Adampur and later Jamnagar Air Force stations. Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Database/419

/ref> In 1987, he was appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, South Western Air Command with the responsibility of all air operations in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. In 1988, he took over as the Chief of Air Staff. He retired in 1991. Air Chief Marshal Polly Mehra died on 8 December 2003.

References

1932 births 2003 deaths Chiefs of Air Staff (India) Indian Air Force air marshals Indian Air Force officers Recipients of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal Modern School (New Delhi) alumni Recipients of the Vayu Sena Medal Recipients of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Indian air attachés Deputy Chiefs of Air Staff (India) {{India-mil-bio-stub