Subroto Mukerjee

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Chief of the Air Staff from 1 April 1955)
Preceded byGerald Ernest Gibbs
Succeeded byAspy Merwan Engineer
Personal details
Born(1911-03-05)5 March 1911
Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948
World War II
Waziristan campaign (1936–1939)

Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Indian Air Force
. He was awarded several honours during the course of a three-decade-long career, ended by his untimely demise in 1960. He has been called the Father of the Indian Air Force.

Born in a

Staff College, Quetta in 1941 before returning to command No. 1 Squadron in 1942. He commanded the RAF Station Kohat from 1943 to 1944 before moving to Air HQ as director of flying training. He was awarded the OBE
in 1945.

Following the

Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee
. He died while on a visit to Tokyo in 1960. His accidental death came as a shock to the Air Force and the nation and he was cremated with full military honours in New Delhi.

He had many firsts to his credit: the first Indian to command a

station
, in 1943, and finally, the first Indian to command the Service itself, in 1954.

Early life and education

Mukerjee was born in

Presidency College, Kolkata. His maternal grandmother, Sarala Roy, was an educationist and social worker who founded the Gokhale Memorial Girls' School.[1]

The youngest of four children, Mukherjee was taken to

First World War. Roy was the first Indian to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the only Indian flying ace.[1]

Mukerjee's elder sister

member of the Indian parliament, cabinet minister and ambassador. She attended the University of Cambridge and the London School of Economics.[2]

Mukerjee was educated at

Birbhum Zilla School in 1927. He then attended Presidency College, Calcutta for year, before studying at the University of Cambridge.[1]

Military career

Early career

The first batch of Indian pilots at RAF Cranwell in 1931. From left to right: Bhupendra Singh, Amarjeet Singh and Subroto Mukerjee.

In 1928, the British Government agreed to permit Indians to enter the Royal Air Force College Cranwell. While initially only two vacancies were recommended, the number was later increased to six. This was done so that a flight of a squadron could be completely Indian.[3] Mukerjee sat for the Cranwell entrance examination, becoming one of the first six Indians selected to undergo two years of flying training at the college.[1]

With the Indian Air Force Act being passed by the

pilot officer.[5] After completing their training at Cranwell, the Indian pilots received further training at the Army Cooperation School at Old Sarum Airfield in Wiltshire. Mukerjee served with the No. 16 Squadron RAF for about a year before returning to India.[1]

On 1 April 1933, "A" Flight of the No. 1 Squadron IAF was formed at Drigh Road in Karachi, with Flight Lieutenant Cecil Bouchier in command. Mukerjee was one of the five Indian pilots who made up the flight. The flight was equipped with four Westland Wapitis. On 15 February 1934, Mukerjee was promoted to the rank of flying officer.[6]

In 1936, a rebellion erupted in

Pukhtoon tribes. The Indian Air Force were forced to play a major role in containing the rebellion due to the harsh terrain of the region. Mukerjee was awarded the India General Service Medal with the clasps 'North West Frontier 1936–37', and 'North West Frontier 1937–39'.[1]

In July 1938, 'B' flight of the No. 1 Squadron IAF was formed. Mukerjee took command of the flight. He was one of the three flying officers of the three flights of No. 1 Squadron.

Miramshah in NWFP.[7]

World War II

At the outbreak of World War II, Coastal Defence Flights (CDFs) of the Indian Air Force Volunteer Reserve (IAFVR) were formed. Mukerjee was the senior Indian commissioned officer in the IAF. He was promoted to the acting rank of squadron leader on 25 August 1939.[10] On 7 August 1940, he observed a beleaguered army

Lewis machine gun and stuffed it into pairs of socks. The ammunition was dropped to the troops in a low pass under concentrated fire. The picket held out until another aircraft air-dropped a large cache of ammunition.[9]

In June 1941, Mukerjee handed over command of No. 1 Squadron to Squadron Leader

Staff College, Quetta. Due to the war, the staff course was reduced to a duration of six months.[11] By this time, No. 1 Squadron had moved to Secunderabad and was re-equipped with the Westland Lysander.[12] In March 1942, Mukerjee took command of the squadron for the second time.[13]

In December 1942, Mukerjee was mentioned in dispatches for his distinguished service during the operations in the NWFP.[14] He commanded RAF Station Kohat from 28 August 1943 to December 1944, becoming the first Indian officer to command an airbase.[citation needed] During this time, the British Indian Army officer and author Major Francis Yeats-Brown praised the professionalism and the efficiency of the IAF, based on his experience at the Kohat airbase.[15]

After handing over command to Aspy Engineer, Mukerjee subsequently moved to Air Headquarters, having been appointed director of flying training. In June 1945, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE).[16] As the most senior Indian officer in the Royal Indian Air Force (RIAF), on 15 May 1947, Mukerjee was promoted to the acting rank of air commodore and became the first Indian air officer.[citation needed] He was appointed the Deputy Assistant to the Air Officer-in-charge Administration at Air headquarters.[17]

Post-independence

On 15 August 1947, with the Partition of India, a new Air Headquarters of the Dominion of India was formed. Mukerjee was appointed the Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO), in addition to being appointed Deputy Air Commander, RIAF.[18] The assets of the Indian Air Force (like other branches of the military) had to be divided between the dominions of India and Pakistan. Mukerjee led the air force part of this committee.[11]

Air Marshal Mukerjee saluting as the President of India, Rajendra Prasad, presents the colours to the Indian Air Force in 1954

After the outbreak of the

Air Marshal Sir Thomas Elmhirst left to the United Kingdom on deputation. He remained in command of the RIAF for about a year.[20]

In September 1948, India initiated a

Imperial Defence College. He attended the course during 1953, along with Captain Ram Dass Katari, the senior Indian naval officer at that time.[23] After completing the year-long course, he returned to India in early 1954. His military service at the Air Headquarters from 1944, and having served as the SASO and Deputy Commander-in-Chief under the first three Chiefs of Independent India, fully qualified him for the top post.[7]

Commander-in-Chief

On 1 April 1954, Mukerjee took over as the

Chief of the Air Staff (CAS). Thus Mukerjee became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief as well as Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force.[24]

On 22 July 1955, with the retirement of the

Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. He is the longest-serving such Chairman in history, having served for more than five years, until his untimely death in 1960.[25]

During his tenure, the aircraft of the IAF were replaced with transonic jet fighters and bombers. It witnessed all-round expansion and modernisation. In August 1958, Mukerjee was given a second tenure for a period of four years, starting 1 October 1958.[26]

Awards and decorations

Indian Independence Medal
(1948) 		Order of the British Empire
(1945) 		India General Service Medal
(1939)
1939-1945 Star

(1945)
War Medal 1939-1945
(1945; with MID
oak leaf) 		India Service Medal
(1945) 		King George VI Coronation Medal
(1937) 		Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
(1953)

Dates of rank

Insignia Rank Component Date of rank
Pilot Officer
 Royal Indian Air Force 1 September 1932[28]
Flying Officer
 Royal Indian Air Force 15 February 1934[6]
Flight Lieutenant
 Royal Indian Air Force 15 February 1939[29]
Squadron Leader
 Royal Indian Air Force 25 August 1939 (acting)
15 February 1942 (substantive)[28]
Wing Commander
 Royal Indian Air Force 1 October 1943 (acting)[28]
15 August 1948 (substantive)[28]
Group Captain
 Royal Indian Air Force 6 March 1946 (acting)
15 November 1947 (substantive)[28]
Air Commodore
 Royal Indian Air Force 15 May 1947 (acting)[17]
15 August 1948 (substantive)[28]
Air Vice Marshal
 Royal Indian Air Force 15 November 1947 (acting)[30]
Air Vice Marshal Indian Air Force 26 January 1950 (recommissioning and change in insignia)[31]
1 October 1951 (substantive)
Air Marshal

(CAS)		 Indian Air Force 1 April 1954 (acting)[24]
1 October 1954 (substantive)[28]

Personal life

In 1939, Mukerjee married Sharda Mukherjee (née Pandit), who was from a prominent Maharashtrian family. They had one son. Sharda was active in social work, and after her husband's death, she became active in public affairs. She was elected to Lok Sabha twice. In 1977, she was appointed as the governor of Andhra Pradesh.[32] She was subsequently appointed the governor of Gujarat. She was the first woman governor of both states.[33]

Death

In November 1960,

Palam Airport, New Delhi.[34]

Mukerjee was cremated with full military honours. From Palam Airport, a hearse carried him to Air House. On 11 November, numerous visitors offered their respects. As his body was leaving Air House, a 15-gun salute, at one minute interval, was fired. His body was carried on a gun carriage to the Nigambodh Ghat, with servicemen lining the whole route. He was paid a final tribute with a flypast of forty-nine aircraft, one for each of his forty-nine years.[34][35] The death came as a shock to the nation and to the Indian Air Force. A black-bordered extraordinary edition of The Gazette of India was issued on 9 November.[36] The Indian Government received tributes from around the world, conveyed by the ambassadors and military attachés in New Delhi.[37]

Legacy

ACM Pratap Chandra Lal considered Mukerjee the foremost pioneer of military aviation in India. He was a much-loved figure in the Air Force.[34] Aspy Engineer, a close associate of Mukerjee, assumed the role of CAS from 1 December 1960. He issued a Special Order of the Day paying tribute to Mukerjee and called him the "Father of the Indian Air Force".[38]

Mukerjee, an eminent

Subroto Cup Football Tournament still helps find talented players from Indian schools.[39] In July 1949, the RIAF introduced the Mukerjee Trophy for the 'Airmen's Mess and Dining Competition', in order for units to further improve messing conditions and amenities of airmen.[40]

Subroto Park in the

Western Air Command, and the Army Hospital (Research & Referral) are all located here.[41] The Centre for Air Power Studies organises the Subroto Mukerjee International Seminar annually.[42][43]

See also

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Air Marshall Subroto Mukerjee, OBE – The Saga of a Soaring Legend". indianairforce.nic.in. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  2. ^ "Life Lived in an Age of Extremes". www.telegraphindia.com.
  3. ^ Sharma 1997, p. 92.
  4. ^ "HC Deb vol 276 cc1473-501". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 3 April 1933. Archived from the original on 3 May 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2009.
  5. ^ "1932: Birth of IAF". sainiksamachar.nic.in. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  6. ^ a b The Air Force List: January 1938. HM Stationery Office. 1938. pp. 1275–1276.
  7. ^ a b c Abidi & Sharma 2007, p. 151.
  8. ^ "(400) – Air Force lists > Air Force list > Monthly > 1940 > May – British Military lists – National Library of Scotland". digital.nls.uk.
  9. ^ a b Singh 2002.
  10. ^ The Air Force List: June 1940. HM Stationery Office. 1940. p. 702.
  11. ^ a b Sapru 2014.
  12. ^ Jagan Mohan 2011, p. 13.
  13. ^ Jagan Mohan 2011, p. 23.
  14. ^ "No. 35825". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 December 1942. p. 5497.
  15. ISBN 978-1406733976
    .
  16. ^ "No. 37119". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 1945. p. 2948.
  17. ^ a b "First Indian Air Commodore" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India – Archive. 9 May 1947. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  18. ^ "RIAF Appointments" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India – Archive. 14 August 1947. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  19. ^ "1948 OPS | Indian Air Force | Government of India". indianairforce.nic.in.
  20. ^ "Press Information Bureau (Defence Wing)" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 15 March 1948.
  21. ^ "Press Information Bureau" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 18 September 1948.
  22. ^ "Press Information Bureau (Defence Wing)" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 18 September 1948.
  23. ^ "Press Information Bureau (Defence Wing)" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 13 September 1952.
  24. ^ a b "Press Note" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 31 March 1954.
  25. ^ "Government Tribute To Air Marshal Mukerjee" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 9 November 1960.
  26. ^ "Fresh Tenure for Air Chief" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 14 August 1958.
  27. ^ "Vintage photo of Air Marshal S. Mukherjee in a portrait". www.amazon.com.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g "Service Record for Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee 1551 GD(P) at Bharat Rakshak.com". Bharat Rakshak.
  29. ^ The Air Force List: June 1939. HM Stationery Office. 1939. p. 871.
  30. ^ "Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Air Branch)". The Gazette of India. 6 August 1949. p. 1080.
  31. ^ "New Designs of Crests and Badges in the Services" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India – Archive.
  32. ^ Parker, Cecil (7 October 2012). "Gubernatorial grace". The Hindu.
  33. ^ "List of Governors". ap.gov.in. Archived from the original on 27 August 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  34. ^ a b c Lal 1986, p. 85.
  35. ^ "Late Air Marshal S Mukerjee" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 10 November 1960.
  36. ^ "The Gazettte of India Extraordinary" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 9 November 1960.
  37. ^ "Late Air Marshal Mukerjee" (PDF). pibarchsive.nic.in. 11 November 1960.
  38. ^ "Air Marshal Engineer's order of the day" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 1 December 1960.
  39. ^ "Durand Schools Tournament Opens Tomorrow – Army Chief to Inaugurate" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 14 November 1960.
  40. ^ "Mukerjee Trophy for Best Airmen Mess and Dining Hall" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 6 July 1949.
  41. ^ "Air Marshal Engineer's Press Briefing" (PDF). pibarchive.nic.in. 17 January 1973.
  42. ^ "13th Subroto Mukherjee Seminar" (PDF). capsindia.org. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  43. ^ "15th Subroto Mukerjee Seminar" (PDF). capsindia.org. Retrieved 20 December 2018.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Subroto Mukerjee.
Military offices
Preceded by
Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee

1955–1960 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Sir Gerald Gibbs
As Commander-in-Chief
Chief of the Air Staff

1954–1960 		Succeeded by
New title
Appointment created
 Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
(Deputy Air Commander, RIAF till Jan 1949)
1947–1952 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Francis Parmer Smythies
 Commanding Officer, RAF Station Kohat
1946–1947 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Commanding Officer No. 1 Squadron IAF

1942–1942 		Succeeded by
Henry Runganathan
Preceded by
C H Smith
Commanding Officer No. 1 Squadron IAF

1939–1941 		Succeeded by
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