New Delhi: The Indian Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) has paid rich tributes to one of its most distinguished veterans, Air Commodore Malik Singh Khera (Retd), who recently celebrated his 106th birthday. Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS), extended warm congratulations to the centenarian, recognising his extraordinary contributions to military medicine.
The milestone was warmly celebrated by Air Vice Marshal Kaushik Chatterjee, Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Medical), and Air Commodore Anurakshat Gupta, underscoring the deep respect the fraternity holds for its pioneering leaders.
An alumnus of the prestigious King Edward Medical College in Lahore, Khera joined the Army Medical Corps in 1944 amid the tumult of the Second World War. In 1946, he was commissioned into the Indian Air Force, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the nascent Air Force Medical Services. A trailblazer in Aviation Medicine, he served with distinction at key bases including Ambala, Allahabad, Jalahalli, and Delhi. He also commanded the Military Hospital at Namkum, leaving an indelible mark on operational medical support and aircrew health management during the formative decades of independent India’s air arm.
Khera retired as an Air Commodore in 1977 after more than three decades of exemplary service. His career spanned the transition from colonial-era military structures to a modern, self-reliant Indian defence medical ecosystem. Colleagues and successors describe his journey as a beacon of unwavering service, professional dedication, and patriotism that continues to inspire successive generations of military medical personnel.
The AFMS traces its roots to the British Indian Army’s medical organisations, with antecedents extending to the East India Company’s medical services in the 18th century and even earlier military healing traditions on the subcontinent. Post-Independence, it evolved into a tri-service organisation renowned for its operational readiness, disaster response capabilities, and advancements in aerospace medicine.
Air Commodore Khera’s life stands as a powerful testament to the enduring spirit of the AFMS, where duty, excellence, and quiet professionalism define a legacy that transcends generations.
contact: drrajeshjauhri@gmail.com
Dr Rajesh Jauhri is a Journalist with an experience of over 25 years in Indian and foreign media, a Social Scientist, an Ac-complished Author, a Political & Strategic Analyst, a Marksman (Rifle & Pistol), an Orator, a Thinker and an Educationist. He holds a Ph.D. degree on “Impact of colonial heritage on Indian police”. He runs an NGO dedicated to the social and eco-nomic uplift of tribal communities in MP and two decades back, he established a school in a village of Indore district, providing education and moral values to children belonging to underprivileged and minority families. Has received multiple awards in various fields.
