Subroto Mukerjee
Encyclopedia
Air Marshal
Subroto Mukerjee, OBE
( Shubroto Mukharji) (5 March 1911 – 8 November 1960) was the first Chief of the Air Staff
of the Indian Air Force
(IAF). Born in a Bengali
family of repute, he was educated in India as well as England. He joined the Royal Air Force
and later was one of the first recruits of the Indian Air Force. He had an illustrious career and had been awarded with many honours until his accidental death in 1960. He has been called the "Father of the Indian Air Force".
(then Calcutta) on 5 March 1911. His paternal grandfather, Nibaran Chandra Mukherjee
, a Brahmo
, was a pioneer in social and educational reforms in the country and a member of the Brahmo Samaj
while his maternal grandfather, Dr. PK Roy
of the Indian Education Service, was the first Indian Principal of the Presidency College, Calcutta. His maternal grandmother Sarala Roy
was the founder of the Gokhale Memorial School. His father was Satish Chandra Mukherjee, an early Indian ICS officer. Youngest of four children, Subroto was taken to England
when he was three months old. However, he spent his childhood in Krishnanagar
and Chinsura of Bengal
. From his very early days Subroto had shown an aptitude for a military career – probably infused by his uncle, Indra Lal Roy
, who had joined the Royal Flying Corps
in the First World War. Roy was the first Indian to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
and the only India
n flying ace
.
Subroto was educated in Diocesan School and Loreto Convent
in Calcutta and also in a school in Hampstead
in England. Later Subroto joined Howrah Zila School and passed matriculation
examination in 1927. He studied in Presidency College
, Calcutta for one year and then went to Cambridge University.
Subroto Mukherjee's elder sister Renuka Ray (1903–1995) was a prominent personality. She was a parliamentarian, cabinet minister and an ambassador. She studied in Cambridge University and London School of Economics.
About this time the Government of India (under British rule
) decided to take some Indians in the Royal Air Force
. Subroto wrote the Cranwell
entrance examination and London Matriculation in 1929 and was one of the first six Indian males selected to undergo two years of flying training at the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell
. The other five were H.C. Sirkar, A.B. Awan, Bhupendra Singh, Amarjeet Singh and J.N. Tandon.
On 8 October 1932, the six Indians cadets were commissioned in the Royal Air Force. On the same day, the Indian Air Force Act was passed by the Indian Legislative Assembly
, and the Indian Air Force
was born. Subroto was commissioned as a pilot. After completing their training at Cranwell, the Indian pilots passed through the Army Cooperation School at Old Sarum
in Wiltshire
. They served in RAF squadrons before coming back to India to serve Indian Air Force. On 1 April 1933, "A" Flight of the No 1 Squadron, Indian Air Force, was formed at Karachi
. Subroto was one of the five Indian pilots who made up the flight. The flight was equipped with four Westland
Wapiti
biplane
s.
border) in 1936, led by the Pukhtoon tribes. The Indian Air Force would play a major role in controlling the rebellion in the harsh terrains of the region. Subroto Mukerjee was awarded India General Service Medal
with clasps "North West Frontier 1936-37", and "North West Frontier 1937-39" and "Mentioned-in-Despatches" in 1942 for service during the operations in North West Frontier Province.
. In 1939, Subroto Mukerjee was promoted to Squadron Leader
and took over command of No 1 Squadron, IAF. Subroto Mukerjee had many "first"s to his credit — the first Indian to command a Flight
, a Squadron
, a Station
(Kohat
), and finally, the Service itself. He was also the first IAF pilot to carry out an airdrop over a beleaguered army picket. He commanded RAF Station Kohat from August 1943 till December 1944. In June 1945 he was awarded the Order of the British Empire
(Military Division).
, assets of the Indian Air Force (like other branches of the military) had to be divided between the two new countries of India and Pakistan
. The first three Air Chiefs of independent India, Air Marshals Sir Thomas Elmhirst
KBE, CB, AFC, Sir Ronald Ivelaw Chapman, KBE, CBE, DFC, AFC, and Sir Gerald Ernest Gibbs
, KBE, CIE, MC, were from the RAF. The IAF had to reorganise itself after the partition. Subroto assisted the Air Chiefs in reorganising the IAF. He went to the Imperial Defence College in England for further training in 1952.
On returning to India in 1954, Subroto Mukerjee took over as the Commander-in-Chief
of the Indian Air Force on 1 April 1954, in the rank of Air Marshal
. When the Change in Designation Act, 1955, was passed, the title of "Commander-in-Chief" was replaced by Chief of the Air Staff
, IAF. Thus Mukerjee became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief as well as Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force.
's first ever flight – to Tokyo
– in November 1960. On 8 November 1960, Mukerjee was having a meal with a friend of his, an officer in the Indian Navy
, in a restaurant in Tokyo. A piece of food lodged in his windpipe, choking
him to death. His body was flown to Palam Airport, New Delhi
on 9 November 1960, and on 10 November 1960 he was cremated with full military honours. He was paid the final tribute in the form of a fly-past of forty nine aircraft, one for each of his forty nine years.
Aspy Engineer, a close associate of Mukerjee, assumed the role of Chief of Air Staff of IAF from 1 December 1960. He issued a Special Order of the Day paying tribute to Subroto Mukerjee and called him as the "Father of the Indian Air Force". Subroto Mukerjee, an eminent football lover and a regular member of Mohun Bagan Athletic Club, conceived the idea of an inter-school all-India football tournament which was implemented after his death. The tournament, known as Subroto Cup Football Tournament
still helps to find talented players from schools.
Subroto Mukherjee married Sharda Pandit from a prominent Maharashtrian family in 1939. They had one son. Mrs. Sharda Mukherjee
was active in social work and after her husband's death, took active part in public affairs. She was later appointed as the Governor of Gujarat.
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Subroto Mukerjee, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
( Shubroto Mukharji) (5 March 1911 – 8 November 1960) was the first Chief of the Air Staff
Chief of the Air Staff
The Chief of the Air Staff is the professional head of the Royal Air Force and a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Air Force Board. The current Chief of the Air Staff is Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton...
of the Indian Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
(IAF). Born in a Bengali
Bengali people
The Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
family of repute, he was educated in India as well as England. He joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and later was one of the first recruits of the Indian Air Force. He had an illustrious career and had been awarded with many honours until his accidental death in 1960. He has been called the "Father of the Indian Air Force".
Early life
Subroto Mukerjee was born in KolkataKolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
(then Calcutta) on 5 March 1911. His paternal grandfather, Nibaran Chandra Mukherjee
Nibaran Chandra Mukherjee
- Life with the Brahmo Samaj :Nibaran Chandra Mukherjee joined the Brahmo Samaj at an early age and was ostracised by his family for this decision. He left his ancestral home in Hughli and settled down in Bhagalpur...
, a Brahmo
Brahmo
A Brahmo is either an adherent of Brahmoism to the exclusion of all other religions, or a person with at least one Brahmo parent or guardian and who has never denied his faith...
, was a pioneer in social and educational reforms in the country and a member of the Brahmo Samaj
Brahmo Samaj
Brahmo Samaj is the societal component of the Brahmo religion which is mainly practiced today as the Adi Dharm after its eclipse in Bengal consequent to the exit of the Tattwabodini Sabha from its ranks in 1859. It was one of the most influential religious movements responsible for the making of...
while his maternal grandfather, Dr. PK Roy
Prasanna Kumar Roy
Prasanna Kumar Ray , better known as Dr. P. K. Ray, was a well-known educationist and the first Indian to be principal of Presidency College, Kolkata.-Early life:...
of the Indian Education Service, was the first Indian Principal of the Presidency College, Calcutta. His maternal grandmother Sarala Roy
Sarala Roy
Sarala Roy was an educationist and is remembered as founder of the Gokhale Memorial School at Kolkata , at present the capital of the east Indian state of West Bengal.-Life:...
was the founder of the Gokhale Memorial School. His father was Satish Chandra Mukherjee, an early Indian ICS officer. Youngest of four children, Subroto was taken to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
when he was three months old. However, he spent his childhood in Krishnanagar
Krishnagar
Krishnanagar is a municipality and administrative headquarters of Nadia district in the Indian state of West Bengal.-Geography:Krishnanagar is located at . It has an average elevation of 14 metres...
and Chinsura of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
. From his very early days Subroto had shown an aptitude for a military career – probably infused by his uncle, Indra Lal Roy
Indra Lal Roy
Indra Lal Roy , DFC was the first Indian flying ace. He served in the First World War with the Royal Flying Corps and its successor, the Royal Air Force. He claimed 5 aircraft destroyed , and 5 'down out of control' wins in just over 170 hours flying time.The son of Bengali parents - P. L...
, who had joined the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
in the First World War. Roy was the first Indian to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
and the only India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
.
Subroto was educated in Diocesan School and Loreto Convent
Loreto School, Kolkata
The Loreto Schools are a group of all-girl Roman Catholic schools throughout the world associated with the Sisters of Loreto and run by Loreto Educational Society , which in India run 17 schools and 2 colleges. They originated in Ireland in the 1850s so as to combat the growing Protestant...
in Calcutta and also in a school in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
in England. Later Subroto joined Howrah Zila School and passed matriculation
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
examination in 1927. He studied in Presidency College
Presidency College, Kolkata
Presidency University, Kolkata, formerly Hindu College and Presidency College, is a unitary, state aided university, located in Kolkata, West Bengal. and one of the premier institutes of learning of liberal arts and sciences in India. In 2002 it was ranked number one by the weekly news magazine...
, Calcutta for one year and then went to Cambridge University.
Subroto Mukherjee's elder sister Renuka Ray (1903–1995) was a prominent personality. She was a parliamentarian, cabinet minister and an ambassador. She studied in Cambridge University and London School of Economics.
Joining the Air Force
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
) decided to take some Indians in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. Subroto wrote the Cranwell
Cranwell
Cranwell is a village situated in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire. It is part of the Civil Parish of Cranwell and Byard's Leap and is located 3.95 miles north-north-west of Sleaford and 16.3 miles south-east of the county town of Lincoln...
entrance examination and London Matriculation in 1929 and was one of the first six Indian males selected to undergo two years of flying training at the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell
Cranwell
Cranwell is a village situated in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire. It is part of the Civil Parish of Cranwell and Byard's Leap and is located 3.95 miles north-north-west of Sleaford and 16.3 miles south-east of the county town of Lincoln...
. The other five were H.C. Sirkar, A.B. Awan, Bhupendra Singh, Amarjeet Singh and J.N. Tandon.
On 8 October 1932, the six Indians cadets were commissioned in the Royal Air Force. On the same day, the Indian Air Force Act was passed by the Indian Legislative Assembly
Central Legislative Assembly
The Central Legislative Assembly was a legislature for India created by the Government of India Act 1919 from the former Imperial Legislative Council, implementing the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms...
, and the Indian Air Force
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
was born. Subroto was commissioned as a pilot. After completing their training at Cranwell, the Indian pilots passed through the Army Cooperation School at Old Sarum
Old Sarum
Old Sarum is the site of the earliest settlement of Salisbury, in England. The site contains evidence of human habitation as early as 3000 BC. Old Sarum is mentioned in some of the earliest records in the country...
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. They served in RAF squadrons before coming back to India to serve Indian Air Force. On 1 April 1933, "A" Flight of the No 1 Squadron, Indian Air Force, was formed at Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
. Subroto was one of the five Indian pilots who made up the flight. The flight was equipped with four Westland
Westland Aircraft
Westland Aircraft was a British aircraft manufacturer located in Yeovil in Somerset. Formed as a separate company by separation from Petters Ltd just before the start of the Second World War, Westland had been building aircraft since 1915...
Wapiti
Westland Wapiti
The Westland Wapiti was a British two-seat general purpose military single-engined biplane of the 1920s. It was designed and built by Westland Aircraft Works to replace the Airco DH.9A in Royal Air Force service....
biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
s.
Operations at North West Frontier
A rebellion took place in North West Frontier region (India–AfghanistanAfghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
border) in 1936, led by the Pukhtoon tribes. The Indian Air Force would play a major role in controlling the rebellion in the harsh terrains of the region. Subroto Mukerjee was awarded India General Service Medal
India General Service Medal
The India General Service Medal can refer to any one of five medals, each issued by the British government as campaign medals for military service in India, over the course of around 130 years:*Army of India Medal...
with clasps "North West Frontier 1936-37", and "North West Frontier 1937-39" and "Mentioned-in-Despatches" in 1942 for service during the operations in North West Frontier Province.
During WW2
Subroto Mukerjee was one of the three flying officers of the three flights of No. 1 Squadron of IAF in 1938. Coastal Defence Flights (CDFs) of the Indian Air Force Volunteer Reserve were formed with the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1939, Subroto Mukerjee was promoted to Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
and took over command of No 1 Squadron, IAF. Subroto Mukerjee had many "first"s to his credit — the first Indian to command a Flight
Flight (military unit)
A flight is a military unit in an air force, naval air service, or army air corps. It usually comprises three to six aircraft, with their aircrews and ground staff; or, in the case of a non-flying ground flight, no aircraft and a roughly equivalent number of support personnel. In most usages,...
, a Squadron
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
, a Station
RAF station
A Royal Air Force station is a permanent Royal Air Force operations location. Many RAF stations are aerodromes, or airbases, being the home to one or more flying squadrons. Other RAF stations are training units, administrative units, headquarters , or carry out ground-based operational tasks...
(Kohat
Kohat
Kohat is a medium sized town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at 33°35'13N 71°26'29E with an altitude of 489 metres and is the capital of Kohat District. The town centres around a British-era fort, various bazaars, and a military cantonment. A British-built narrow gauge...
), and finally, the Service itself. He was also the first IAF pilot to carry out an airdrop over a beleaguered army picket. He commanded RAF Station Kohat from August 1943 till December 1944. In June 1945 he was awarded the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(Military Division).
After Independence
India became independent from the British rule on 15 August 1947. However, due to partition of IndiaPartition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, assets of the Indian Air Force (like other branches of the military) had to be divided between the two new countries of India and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. The first three Air Chiefs of independent India, Air Marshals Sir Thomas Elmhirst
Thomas Elmhirst
Air Marshal Sir Thomas Walker Elmhirst KBE, CB, AFC, DL, RAF was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force in the first half of the 20th century and the first commander-in-chief of the newly independent Indian Air Force where he organised the funeral of Mahatma Gandhi following his assassination...
KBE, CB, AFC, Sir Ronald Ivelaw Chapman, KBE, CBE, DFC, AFC, and Sir Gerald Ernest Gibbs
Gerald Gibbs (RAF officer)
Air Marshal Sir Gerald Ernest Gibbs KBE, CIE, MC & Two Bars, RAF was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force in the first half of the 20th century and the last RAF commander-in-chief of the Indian Air Force. During World War I he scored 10 victories , becoming a double ace...
, KBE, CIE, MC, were from the RAF. The IAF had to reorganise itself after the partition. Subroto assisted the Air Chiefs in reorganising the IAF. He went to the Imperial Defence College in England for further training in 1952.
On returning to India in 1954, Subroto Mukerjee took over as the Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of the Indian Air Force on 1 April 1954, in the rank of Air Marshal
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
. When the Change in Designation Act, 1955, was passed, the title of "Commander-in-Chief" was replaced by Chief of the Air Staff
Chief of the Air Staff
The Chief of the Air Staff is the professional head of the Royal Air Force and a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Air Force Board. The current Chief of the Air Staff is Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton...
, IAF. Thus Mukerjee became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief as well as Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force.
Death and commemoration
Subroto Mukerjee was one of the passengers in Air IndiaAir India
Air India is the flag carrier airline of India. It is part of the government of India owned Air India Limited . The airline operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft serving Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. Its corporate office is located at the Air India Building at Nariman...
's first ever flight – to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
– in November 1960. On 8 November 1960, Mukerjee was having a meal with a friend of his, an officer in the Indian Navy
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...
, in a restaurant in Tokyo. A piece of food lodged in his windpipe, choking
Choking
Choking is the mechanical obstruction of the flow of air from the environment into the lungs. Choking prevents breathing, and can be partial or complete, with partial choking allowing some, although inadequate, flow of air into the lungs. Prolonged or complete choking results in asphyxia which...
him to death. His body was flown to Palam Airport, New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
on 9 November 1960, and on 10 November 1960 he was cremated with full military honours. He was paid the final tribute in the form of a fly-past of forty nine aircraft, one for each of his forty nine years.
Aspy Engineer, a close associate of Mukerjee, assumed the role of Chief of Air Staff of IAF from 1 December 1960. He issued a Special Order of the Day paying tribute to Subroto Mukerjee and called him as the "Father of the Indian Air Force". Subroto Mukerjee, an eminent football lover and a regular member of Mohun Bagan Athletic Club, conceived the idea of an inter-school all-India football tournament which was implemented after his death. The tournament, known as Subroto Cup Football Tournament
Subroto Cup Football Tournament
Subroto Cup Football Tournament is an inter-school football tournament in India, named after the Indian Air Force Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee.-History:...
still helps to find talented players from schools.
Subroto Mukherjee married Sharda Pandit from a prominent Maharashtrian family in 1939. They had one son. Mrs. Sharda Mukherjee
Sharda Mukherjee
Sharda Mukherjee was governor of Indian state of Gujarat and Andhara Pradesh. She was governor of Gujarat from 1978 to 1983.She was wife of Air Chief Marshall Subroto Mukerjee.Sharda Mukherjee was born as Sharda Pandit in Rajkot in a Maharashtrian family. She met Air Chief Marshall Subroto...
was active in social work and after her husband's death, took active part in public affairs. She was later appointed as the Governor of Gujarat.
Rank Promotions
- Pilot OfficerPilot OfficerPilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
, RAFRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
-1932 - Flying OfficerFlying OfficerFlying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
-1936 - Flight LieutenantFlight LieutenantFlight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
-1938 - Squadron LeaderSquadron LeaderSquadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
-1939 - Wing CommanderWing Commander (rank)Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
-1942 - Wing Commander, RIAF-1945
- Group CaptainGroup CaptainGroup captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
-1946 - Air CommodoreAir CommodoreAir commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
-1947 - Air Vice-MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
-1949 - Air MarshalAir MarshalAir marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
, IAFIndian Air ForceThe Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
-1954
Honours
- King George VI Coronation MedalKing George VI Coronation MedalThe King George VI Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of King George VI.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to each of...
-1937 - India General Service MedalIndia General Service Medal (1936)The Indian General Service Medal was a campaign medal approved on 3 August 1938, for issue to officers and men of the British and Indian armies....
(w/Clasps)-1939 - Mentioned in Despatches (MID)-1942
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)-1945
- 1939-1945 Star-1945
- India Service MedalIndia Service MedalThe Indian Service Medal 1939-1945 was a campaign medal of the Commonwealth. It was awarded to the Indian Forces for three years of non-operational service in India, and replaces the Defence Medal...
-1945 - War Medal 1939-1945-1945
- Indian Independence Medal-1948
- Queen Elizabeth II Coronation MedalQueen Elizabeth II Coronation MedalThe Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to...
-1953 - Yugoslavian People's Army Medal, 1st Class-1954