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Surinder Mehra

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Surendra Kumar Mehra
PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC
14th Chief of Air Staff
In office
1 August 1988 – 31 July 1991
PresidentRamaswamy Venkataraman
Prime MinisterRajiv Gandhi
Preceded byDenis La Fontaine
Succeeded byNirmal Chandra Suri
Personal details
Born(1932-11-15)15 November 1932
Delhi, India
Died8 December 2003(2003-12-08) (aged 74)
Gurgaon, India
Alma materModern School
Delhi University
Awards
NicknamePolly
Military service
Allegiance India
Branch/service Indian Air Force
Years of service1951-1991
RankAir Chief Marshal
Service Number (4197)
CommandsChief of the Air Staff (India) (1988–1991)
South Western Air Command
No.28 Squadron
No.106 Squadron
Battles/warsIndo-Pakistani War of 1965
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Operation Brasstacks

Air Chief Marshal Surinder Kumar Mehra (15 November 1932 – 8 December 2003), PVSM, AVSM, VM, was the Chief of Air Staff of Indian Air Force from 1 August 1988 until 31 July 1991.[1] He was born in Delhi.[2]

Early life

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

Career

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He was commissioned in the Indian Air Force in December 1951 as a fighter pilot.[3]

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.[4]

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

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  1. ^ "Surinder Kumar Mehra PVSM, AVSM, VM CAS | Indian Air Force | Government of India". indianairforce.nic.in. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  2. ^ Ex-Chief of Indian Air Force
  3. ^ "Surinder Kumar Mehra PVSM, AVSM, VM CAS". Indian Air Force. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  4. ^ Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment[1][2][3]
Military offices
Preceded by Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee
1990–1991
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief of the Air Staff (India)
1988–1991
Succeeded by