Fali Homi Major

Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major PVSM, AVSM, VM, SC
Born	29 May 1947 Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh
Allegiance	India
Service/branch	Indian Air Force
Years of service	31 December 1967 – 31 May 2009
Rank	Air Chief Marshal
Unit	30 wing[1] EAC[1]
Battles/wars	Kargil conflict
Awards	Shaurya Chakra[1] Vayu Sena Medal[1] Ati Vishist Seva Medal[1] Param Vishisht Seva Medal[1]

Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major served as the eighteenth Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force taking office on 1 April 2007, and becoming the first helicopter pilot in the service to be promoted to the office of Chief. He retired on 31 May 2009, and was succeeded in office by Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik, a fighter pilot.

Professional career

Air Chief Marshal Major was commissioned into the Indian Air Force on 31 December 1967 as a helicopter pilot. During his long and distinguished service spanning little over 39 years, he has worked in a variety of Command, Staff and Instructional appointments. Besides being a Fellow of the National Defence College, New Delhi, and the Army War College, Mhow, he attended a variety of courses like Junior Commanders' Course, Jungle and Snow Survival Course and Higher Command Courses. He was appointed Joint Director (Helicopter Operations) and Director Operations (Transport & Helicopter). In 1999, he took over as the Air Officer Commanding Leh (Ladakh), in the aftermath of the Kargil conflict.

Credits and awards

He has the distinction of having 7,765 hours of flying experience to his credit.^[2] For his leadership, successful accomplishment of tasks and distinguished service of a very high order, he was awarded the ‘Ati Vishist Seva Medal’ in Jan 2002. He was promoted to the rank of Air Vice Marshal in Feb 2002 and appointed as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Personnel Airmen & Civilians) at Air Headquarters. On promotion to the rank of Air Marshal in Jan 2004 he moved to HQ Integrated Defence Staff as the Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations) and directed the relief, rescue and rehabilitation operations of the Indian Armed Forces, in India and abroad, in the aftermath of the Tsunami. On 05 Sep 2005, he was appointed as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command. That tenure saw the successful conduct of three major international air exercises with the United States Air Force, Republic of Singapore Air Force and the French Air Force. He was awarded the ‘Param Vishisht Seva Medal’ by the President of India on 26 Jan 2006.^[2]

He commanded a helicopter unit, which took part in operations in Siachen (world's highest battlefield) and commanded a Mi-17 squadron during the IPKF operations in Sri Lanka, for which he was decorated with the Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry).

While serving as a Group Captain, FH Major was awarded Shaurya Chakra for undertaking a very dangerous and exacting rescue mission on 14 October 1992 at Timber Trail in Parwanoo, Himachal Pradesh, where he along with his crew, winched eleven stranded tourists out from a cable car, by hovering precariously close to the set of cables that ran above it.^[2]

Param Vishisht Seva Medal	Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Vayu Sena Medal	Shaurya Chakra
30 Years Long Service Medal	20 Years Long Service Medal	9 Years Long Service Medal

Brief description of personal life

Major was born on 29 May 1947 in Secunderabad, Nizam's Dominion. He is an alumnus of Wesley High School, Secunderabad. Air Chief Marshal F H Major is married to Mrs Zareen Major and has one son and one daughter. He also belongs to the distinguished 'Parsi Zoroastrian' community. The Air Chief Marshal is an avid golfer and a cricket fan.

References

1. Service Page of Air Chief Marshal F H Major 11422 F(P) listing Service details, commands and awards. Bharat-Rakshak
2. "Air Chief Marshal FH Major takes over as The Chief of Air Staff.". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 31 March 2007. Retrieved 28 July 2012.