Hari Chand Dewan

Air Marshal Hari Chand Dewan, PVSM (20 September 1921 – 22 August 2017) was an Indian Air Force officer. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1972 for his services at the head of the Eastern Air Command in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.^[1]

Air Marshal H C Dewan PVSM
Born	20 September 1921
Died	22 August 2017
Allegiance	British India (1942–1947)  India (from 1947)
Service / branch	Royal Indian Air Force  Indian Air Force
Battles / wars	World War II Burma campaign

Lt Gen A A K Niazi signing the Pakistani Instrument of Surrender under the gaze of Lt Gen J S Aurora. Standing immediately behind (L-R) Vice Admiral Krishnan, Air Marshal Dewan, Lt. Gen Sagat Singh, Maj Gen JFR Jacob.

Career

Hari Chand Dewan was born on 20 September 1921.^[2] In 1940 he was one of the 24 Indian pilots seconded to the UK.^[3] In 1969 he received Param Vishist Seva Medal.^[4] He was head of the Eastern Air Command in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.^[5]

Death

Dewan died in August 2017 at the age of 95.^[2]

References

1. "Padma Awards" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
2. "Service Record for Air Marshal Hari Chand Dewan". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
3. Chowdhry, Mohindra S. (2018). "7. Sikhs in the Second World War". Defence of Europe by Sikh Soldiers in the World Wars. Leicestershire: Troubador Publishing Ltd. pp. 329–383. ISBN 978-1788037-983.
4. The Rotarian. Rotary International. 1969. p. 28.
5. Batabyal, Guru Saday (2020). Politico-Military Strategy of the Bangladesh Liberation War, 1971. Taylor & Francis. p. 282. ISBN 978-1-000-31766-4.