Surinder Mehra

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Air Chief Marshal Surinder Kumar Mehra, PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC (15 November 1932 – 8 December 2003) was the 14th Chief of the Indian Air Force, serving from 1 August 1988 to 31 July 1991. Born in Delhi, he studied at Modern School and Delhi University and joined the Indian Air Force in December 1951 as a fighter pilot. In the 1970s he led the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment and later served as Air Attaché in Moscow. He was awarded the AVSM in 1976. After becoming an Air Commodore, he commanded Adampur and Jamnagar air bases. In 1987 he was appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the South Western Air Command, with responsibility for air operations in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra. He retired in 1991 and died in 2003 in Gurgaon. He is remembered for his service with PVSM, AVSM and VM.