Air Marshal Sir T W Elmhirst, KBE, ECD, AFC............................................ 1947-50

Air Marshal Ronal Chapman, KBE, CB, DFC, AFC........................................1950-51

Air Marshal Gerald Gibbs, KBE, CIE, MC.....................................................1951-54

Air Marshal S Mukherjee.............................................................................1954-60

Air Marshal A M Engineer, DFC...................................................................1960-64

Air Chief Marshal Arjan Singh, DFC..............................................................1964-69

Air Chief Marshal PC Lal, DFC.....................................................................1969-73

Air Chief Marshal OP Mehra, PVSM.............................................................1973-76

Air Chief Marshal H Moolgavkar, PVSM, MVC...............................................1976-78

Air Chief Marshal I H Latif, PVSM.................................................................1978-81

Air Chief Marshal Dilbagh Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VM.....................................1981-84

Air Chief Marshal L M Katre, PVSM, AVSM & BAR.......................................1984-85

Air Chief Marshal Da La Fontaine, PVSM, AVSM, VM...................................1985-88

Air Chief Marshal S K Mehra, PVSM, AVSM, VM..........................................1988-91

Air Chief Marshal N C Suri, PVSM, AVSM, VM.............................................1991-93

Air Chief Marshal S K Kaul, PVSM, MVC.....................................................1993-95

Air Chief Marshal S K Sareen, PVSM, AVSM, VM........................................1996-98

Air Chief Marshal A Y Tipnis, PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC..............................1999-2001

Lt Gen BK Bopanna took over as the new Director General of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in New Delhi. An alumnus of Defence Services Staff College, College of Defence Management and the National Defence College, Lt Gen Bopanna was commissioned into the 11th Gorkha Rifles in 1965.

In his long and distinguished career, Lt Gen Bopanna has held several prestigious command and staff appointments. He commanded the 5/11 Gorkha Rifles, the Nathu La Brigade in sikkim and later the 21 Mountain Division in Assam where he combated insurgency for two years. The staff appointments he held include Brigade Major of two Brigades, Director, Military Training Directorate and Deputy Director General, Military Operations Directorate, Army Headquarters.

Lt Gen Bopanna took active part in both the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan. He was also a member of both the Expert Group and the Joint Working Group for negotiations with China. For his distinguished services, the General Officer has been awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal. Prior to assuming charge as Director General, NCC, Lt Gen Bopanna was the Major General in-Charge of Administration of the Southern Command Headquarters, Pune.

–PIB (DW)

When I joined ASC Battalion at Silchar in 1974, I was to experience for the first time the Army life and work in Mizoram which was in the throes of counter-insurgency. The HQ of ASC Battalion was located in a small cantonment called Masimpur in Silchar district but sub units were deployed in Mizoram, Agartala and even in Manipur Valley. The Mizo hills, well known as Lushai hills, was a panoramic scenic state which brought memories of Burma Campaign. My transportation company was directly engaged in transportation of men and materials on the narrow road of 300 kms from Silchar to Aizawl and then to Lunghleh which was lifeline of the Mizo hills. The drivers who had to operate almost seven days a week had hardly any time for rest, recreation or maintenance. One of the small convoy of my sub-unit happened to witness a nasty accident on the Aizawl road which caused severe injuries to Mizo boys. Thanks to the efforts of convoy JCO, the two injured boys were brought live from ravine with the help of few drivers who had to climb almost 150 ft of the steep terrain. These two Mizo boys were subsequently taken to the field hospital at Aizawl and life saving surgery carried out. Since that day, the villagers of Serchip to which the two boys belonged were always offering a cup of tea to my drivers.