Om Prakash Mehra

Om Prakash Mehra was  Chief of the Air Staff (India)  from 1973 to 1976. He received Param Vishistht Sewa Medal in 1968. He was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 1977. He later became governor of Maharashtra from 1980 to 1982 and governor of Rajasthan from 1982 to 1985.

Air Chief Marshal OP Mehra was born on 19 January 1919 at Lahore. His basic education was at the Sacred Heart Convent. He finished school at the Central Model School in 1933 and joined Government College University, Lahore and completed a Masters Degree from the Punjab University in mid 1940.

After a short spell of flying at the Northern India Flying Club, Lahore, he was selected for the Indian Air Force and joined the services as Pilot Officer on 30 November 1940.

On completion of his training, he was posted to No.1 Squadron in August 1941. In March 1946 Mehra was selected to serve as the Indian Air force representative at the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Australia - An organization set up to provide Administrative and Logistics support to the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces located in Japan. In view of Nationalization of the armed forces, he was recalled and posted in February 1947 as the Chief Ground Instructor at the No.1 Advance Flying School Ambala, to replace the RAF Officer who was returning home.

In August 1947 he was promoted to the rank of Wing Commander and posted as Commandant of the Elementary Flying Training School at Jodhpur.

On promotion to the rank of Air Vice-Marshal in August 1963 he look over as AOC in Chief Maintenance Command, in which capacity he served during the 1965 War. In January 1968 he was awarded the PVSM and promoted Air Marshal in March 1968. Soon thereafter he was posted as Deputy Chief of Air Staff, Air Headquarters. Early 1971 he was deputed as Chairman of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bangalore. On 15 January 1973 he returned to Air Headquarters, designated as the new Chief of Air Staff, succeeding Air Chief Marshal PC Lal.

Air Chief Marshal Mehra relinquished the post to Air Chief Marshal Hrushikesh Moolgavkar on 31 January 1976, on completion of his tenure.

After his retirement, he represented India at a UNESCO meeting in Paris as Deputy Leader of India's Team. He was the recipient of Padma Vibhushan in January 1977. He went on to serve as the Governor of Maharashtra (1980) and later as Governor of Rajasthan (1982).

Air Chief Marshal Mehra was elected President of the Indian Olympic Association and was responsible for the hosting by India of the 1982 Asian Games. From 1978 to 1980 he was President of the Asian Games Federation, currently known as the Olympic Council of Asia and continues to be the Honorary Life President of the Olympic Council of Asia.