Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Hrushikesh Moolgavkar
Air Chief Marshal Hrushikesh Moolgavkar, PVSM, MVC (15 August 1920 – 9 April 2015) was a former Indian Air officer in the Indian Air Force. He served as the 9th Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force from 1 February 1976 to 31 August 1978.
Moolgavkar was born on 14 August 1920 to Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu family in Bombay. He attended the St. Mary's School, Mumbai and the St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. Moving to the United Kingdom for higher education, he attended the Malvern College. He was studying there when World War II broke out.
Moolgavkar was commissioned into the Indian Air Force as an acting Pilot Officer on 30 November 1940. He joined the No. 1 Squadron IAF, commanded by Squadron Leader Karun Krishna Majumdar, at Peshawar. He flew the Hawker Hart and the Westland Lysander aircraft. In early 1942, the squadron moved to Burma where he saw active service. In May 1942, he was promoted to the rank of Flying Officer. After the operations in Burma, he came back with the squadron to Secunderabad where Squadron Leader Subroto Mukerjee took command. The squadron then moved to Trichy and to RAF Station Kohat.
On 1 April 1944, 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. He flew the Supermarine Spitfire in escort fighter role in supply dropping missions. In January 1945, while on a sortie, the engine of his Spitfire failed. He crash landed on a beach and was stuck upside-down. Luckily, a couple of British Commandos spotted the plane and rescued him. He had multiple crushed vertebrae which required surgery and he spent about six months with his back in plaster. He got back to flying soon, joining the No. 10 Squadron IAF.
In January 1947, Moolgavkar was promoted to the acting rank of Squadron Leader and took command of No. 6 Squadron RIAF at Kohat. After a short stint, he took command of No. 10 Squadron at Kanpur. The squadron was equipped with the Hawker Tempest II.
During the partition of India, he was commanding the squadron at Kanpur. He was in command till February 1948. In April, he attended the first course at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington. The college had relocated from Quetta after the partition of India. After completing the staff course, he took command of No. 1 Operational Wing at Srinagar from Wing Commander Minoo Merwan Engineer.
The No. 1 Operational Wing was in the thick of battle during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. Moolgavkar led the planning and execution of close air support during Operation Bison in Zoji La. He also flew sorties himself. For his exceptional gallantry and leadership, Moolgavkar was decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC), the second highest military decoration in India. He 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. The citation for the Maha Vir Chakra reads as follows:
Gazette Notification: 59 Pres/51,1.12.51
Hub AI
Hrushikesh Moolgavkar AI simulator
(@Hrushikesh Moolgavkar_simulator)
Hrushikesh Moolgavkar
Air Chief Marshal Hrushikesh Moolgavkar, PVSM, MVC (15 August 1920 – 9 April 2015) was a former Indian Air officer in the Indian Air Force. He served as the 9th Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force from 1 February 1976 to 31 August 1978.
Moolgavkar was born on 14 August 1920 to Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu family in Bombay. He attended the St. Mary's School, Mumbai and the St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. Moving to the United Kingdom for higher education, he attended the Malvern College. He was studying there when World War II broke out.
Moolgavkar was commissioned into the Indian Air Force as an acting Pilot Officer on 30 November 1940. He joined the No. 1 Squadron IAF, commanded by Squadron Leader Karun Krishna Majumdar, at Peshawar. He flew the Hawker Hart and the Westland Lysander aircraft. In early 1942, the squadron moved to Burma where he saw active service. In May 1942, he was promoted to the rank of Flying Officer. After the operations in Burma, he came back with the squadron to Secunderabad where Squadron Leader Subroto Mukerjee took command. The squadron then moved to Trichy and to RAF Station Kohat.
On 1 April 1944, 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. He flew the Supermarine Spitfire in escort fighter role in supply dropping missions. In January 1945, while on a sortie, the engine of his Spitfire failed. He crash landed on a beach and was stuck upside-down. Luckily, a couple of British Commandos spotted the plane and rescued him. He had multiple crushed vertebrae which required surgery and he spent about six months with his back in plaster. He got back to flying soon, joining the No. 10 Squadron IAF.
In January 1947, Moolgavkar was promoted to the acting rank of Squadron Leader and took command of No. 6 Squadron RIAF at Kohat. After a short stint, he took command of No. 10 Squadron at Kanpur. The squadron was equipped with the Hawker Tempest II.
During the partition of India, he was commanding the squadron at Kanpur. He was in command till February 1948. In April, he attended the first course at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington. The college had relocated from Quetta after the partition of India. After completing the staff course, he took command of No. 1 Operational Wing at Srinagar from Wing Commander Minoo Merwan Engineer.
The No. 1 Operational Wing was in the thick of battle during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. Moolgavkar led the planning and execution of close air support during Operation Bison in Zoji La. He also flew sorties himself. For his exceptional gallantry and leadership, Moolgavkar was decorated with the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC), the second highest military decoration in India. He 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. The citation for the Maha Vir Chakra reads as follows:
Gazette Notification: 59 Pres/51,1.12.51