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Air Vice Marshal Ranjan Dutt
| Service No & Branch | 1594 GD(P) |  | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date of Birth: 30 Sep 1921 | Commissioned: 01 Aug 1940 | Course: 4 Course | ||||||||||||||||||
| Service End: | Retired on 31 May 1968 Completion of tenure in Air Rank Died on 13 Aug 2009 (88 Years age) | Nick Name : | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Google the Bharat Rakshak Website for : "R Dutt" | ||||||||||||||||||||
 Gp Capt |  Air Cmde |  AVM | |||
| Dates | Rank | Unit | Location | Appointment | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - 15 Feb 1942 | Plt Offr | 94 Sqn, RAF | Middle East | Squadron Pilot | |
| 01 Aug 1940 - 01 Sep 1940 | Acting Plt Offr | Initial Training School (Officers) | Lahore | Trainee Pilot | |
| 27 Apr 1941 - 01 Jun 1941 | Plt Offr | 56 OTU, RAF | Sutton Bridge, UK | Conversion | |
| 02 Jun 1941 - 27 Sep 1941 | Plt Offr | 32 Sqn, RAF | Northolt, UK | Squadron Pilot to RAF West Kirby | |
| 23 Feb 1942 - 06 Sep 1942 | Fg Offr | No.4 Squadron | Kohat | Squadron Pilot | |
| 01 Dec 1942 - 22 Jan 1943 | Fg Offr | No.1 Squadron | Trichinopoly | Squadron Pilot To Risalpur | |
| 01 Jun 1944 - 01 Jun 1944 | Flt Lt | No.151 Operational Training Unit | Risalpur | To 20RAF Sqn | |
| 07 Nov 1944 - 25 Apr 1945 | Flt Lt | No.10 Squadron | Flight Commander B Flt. To UK FLC | ||
| 22 Aug 1945 - 02 Jan 1946 | Flt Lt | No.8 Squadron | Mingaladon | Flight Commander B Flt | |
| 02 Jan 1946 - 23 Mar 1946 | Flt Lt | No.2 Squadron | Kohat | Flight Commander B Flt | |
| - 14 May 1947 | Sqn Ldr | No.1 (Indian) Group | Peshawar | S/L (Ops) | |
| 20 Mar 1946 - 14 May 1947 | Sqn Ldr | No.1 Squadron | Peshawar | Commanding Officer | |
| 15 Nov 1947 - 31 Jul 1948 | Wg Cdr | No 1 Operational Group (WAC) | Delhi | Senior Air Staff Officer | |
| 01 Aug 1948 - 21 Jul 1949 | Gp Capt | No 1 Operational Group (WAC) | Delhi | Senior Air Staff Officer | |
| 22 Jul 1949 - 05 Apr 1950 | Gp Capt | Operational Command | Delhi | Senior Air Staff Officer | |
| 21 Jul 1951 - 01 Sep 1951 | Gp Capt | No.1 Air Force Academy | Ambala | Commanding Officer | |
| 01 Sep 1951 - 08 Oct 1954 | Gp Capt | No.1 Air Force Academy | Secunderabad | Commandant | |
| 09 Oct 1954 - 27 May 1958 | Gp Capt | Air Operations, Air HQ | Delhi | Director, Operations | |
| 28 May 1958 - 23 Mar 1959 | Air Cmde | Air Head Quarters | Delhi | Director (Policy and Plan | |
| 23 Mar 1959 - 12 Apr 1960 | Air Cmde | Training Command | Bangalore | Air Officer Commanding | |
| 13 Apr 1960 - 29 Dec 1960 | AVM | Training Command | Bangalore | Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief | |
| 20 Dec 1960 - 27 Oct 1966 | AVM | HAL | Bangalore | MD | |
| 28 Oct 1966 - 31 Mar 1968 | AVM | Eastern Air Command | Shillong | Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief | |
| Incomplete Information? Additions? Corrections? Please download Template File and follow instructions. | |||||
Awards and Decorations
Number of Awards: 1
| Vir Chakra | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gp Capt | Ranjan Dutt | 1594 GD(P) | Award Date 02 Nov 1948 | Announced 26 Jan 1950 |
| Details : | Group Captain (Now Air Vice Marshal) Ranjan Dutt – (1594), while serving as S.A.S.O Headquarters No. 1 (Operational) Group, took every opportunity to take part in the Kashmir Operations. This officer had on three occasions led, with distinction attacks on KISHENGANGA Bridge. The first attack resulted in temporary stoppage of movement of enemy troops and supplies over the bridge. When movement again resumed after the bridge had been repaired, reinforced with heavy protective medium ‘Flak†he led another formation for the second time. To facilitate his formation to attack, he went low to straff and silenced the gun positions. In spite of his aircraft being hit by enemy fire, he attacked with precision and knocked out one of the gun positions. Leading a formation of four aircraft, he again attacked the Kishenganga Bridge, undeterred by the fact that his aircraft had been shot up badly the day before. Although his aircraft was damaged by heavy anti-aircraft fire in this sortie also, he attacked with precision and determination and scored a direct hit on the bridge, causing considerable damage to it. After the mission, by great skill, he brought his badly damaged aircraft back safely to the base. He also carried out highly successful reconnaissance sorties and attacks on Gilgit and Skardu. For the outstanding services rendered by him during the Kashmir Operations, he has been awarded the Vir Chakra. | |||
| Unit : No.1 Op Group | ||||
| Reference : Gazette of India , Extraordinary, No. 2-Pres., dated 26th January, 1950 | ||||
Additional Notes
| Remarks: via Gp Capt Jacob Chacko Note added: 2009-08-13 |
With great sorrow, I wish to inform all of us that Air Vice Marshal Ranjan Dutt passed away early this morning (Aug 13) in Chennai. His son Shunith advised me about this. Arrangements are being made for his cremation today. May God Bless his soul and help his family in this time of sorrow. ' They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old, Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, We will remember them..." |
| Remarks: Air Marshal Raghavendran (on Email) Note added: 2010-10-28 |
| Ranjan Dutt was probably the Greatest Commander and Leader the IAF ever had. i believe he underwent the fighter Leader's course, the first indian to do so, under the command of the legendary Douglas Bader. A born aviator and leader in aviation combat thinking, one always wonders 'What If' - where would we have been had he been the Chief. Raghavendran |