32 Facts About Hrushikesh Moolgavkar

1.

Air Chief Marshal Hrushikesh Moolgavkar, PVSM, MVC was a former Air officer in the Indian Air Force.

2.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar served as the 9th Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force from 1 February 1976 till 31 August 1978.

3.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar attended the St Mary's School, Mumbai and the St Xavier's College, Mumbai.

4.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar was studying there when World War II broke out.

5.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar joined the No 1 Squadron IAF, commanded by Squadron Leader Karun Krishna Majumdar, at Peshawar.

6.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar flew the Hawker Hart and the Westland Lysander aircraft.

7.

On 1 April 1944, Hrushikesh Moolgavkar was promoted to the acting rank of Flight Lieutenant and transferred to No 4 Squadron IAF, commanded by Squadron Leader Geoffrey Sharp of the Royal Air Force, at Chittagong.

8.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar flew the Supermarine Spitfire in escort fighter role in supply dropping missions.

9.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar crash landed on a beach and was stuck upside-down.

10.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar had multiple crushed vertebrae which required surgery and he spent about six months with his back in plaster.

11.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar got back to flying soon, joining the No 10 Squadron IAF.

12.

In January 1947, Hrushikesh Moolgavkar was promoted to the acting rank of Squadron Leader and took command of No 6 Squadron IAF at Kohat.

13.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar led the planning and execution of close air support during Operation Bison in Zoji La.

14.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar was among four IAF officers who were awarded the MVC during the war, the other three being Air Commodore Mehar Singh and Wing Commanders Minoo Merwan Engineer and Sidney Basil Noronha.

15.

Wing Commander Hrushikesh Moolgavkar commanded No 1 Operational Wing of the IAF in Kashmir from September 1948 to May 1949.

16.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar led the detachment touring South India and in flying demonstrations in Bombay, Poona, Bangalore and Madras.

17.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar was promoted to the acting rank of Group Captain and appointed Director of Operations at Air HQ in May 1952.

18.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar became the first IAF officer to serve in this appointment, since the previous officers were from the RAF.

19.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar was promoted substantive Group Captain on 1 April 1955.

20.

In early 1959, Hrushikesh Moolgavkar was appointed Air advisor to the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom was Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit at India House, London.

21.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar was promoted to the acting rank of Air Commodore and returned to India.

22.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar subsequently took over as the Senior Air Staff Officer of the Operational Command.

23.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar moved to Air HQ in June 1963, where he served as the Air Officer-in-Charge Policy and Plans.

24.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar was promoted substantive Air Commodore on 1 April 1964.

25.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar served in this appointment for a year-and-a-half before moving to the Maintenance Command at Nagpur.

26.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar was made substantive Air Vice Marshal on 1 April 1968 and appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Central Air Command at Allahabad.

27.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar was at the helm of the Central Air Command for three years, till March 1971.

28.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar assumed the office from Vice Admiral Sourendra Nath Kohli who was appointed the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command.

29.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar was promoted substantive Air Marshal in June 1972.

30.

In March 1975, Hrushikesh Moolgavkar personally participated in the Western Air Command Inter-Squadron Gunnery Meet.

31.

Hrushikesh Moolgavkar won the Staff Pilots Championship Trophy for firing rockets from a single-seater Hunter aircraft.

32.

In January 1976, the Government of India appointed Hrushikesh Moolgavkar to be the next Chief of the Air Staff, succeeding Air Chief Marshal Om Prakash Mehra.