Om Prakash Mehra

Air Chief Marshal Om Prakash Mehra, PVSM (19 January 1919 – 8 November 2015) was a former air officer in the Indian Air Force. He served as the Chief of the Air Staff from 1973 to 1976. He received Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), the highest military award for peace-time service, in 1968. He was awarded Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian honour, in 1977. He later became Governor of Maharashtra from 1980 to 1982, and Governor of Rajasthan from 1985 to 1987. He married Satya Mehra and has four children with her Sunil, Parveen, Rahul, and Amitava and numerous grand children.

Early life Mehra was born on 19 January 1918 at Lahore. His basic education was at the Sacred Heart Convent. He finished school at the Central Model School in 1933 and joined Government College University, Lahore and completed a master's degree in history from the Punjab University in 1940. and promoted to Air Marshal in March 1968. Soon thereafter he was posted as Deputy Chief of Air Staff, Air Headquarters. In early 1971, he was deputed as Chairman of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bangalore. On 15 January 1973, he returned to Air Headquarters, designated as the new Chief of Air Staff, succeeding Air Chief Marshal PC Lal. He credited his success to Sathya Sai Baba and became his avowed devotee. (http://www.vedamu.org/features/FMrOPMehra.aspx)

Mehra relinquished the post to Air Chief Marshal Hrushikesh Moolgavkar on 31 January 1976, on completion of his tenure.

Post-Air force career After his retirement, he represented India at a UNESCO meeting in Paris as deputy leader of India's team. He was the recipient of Padma Vibhushan in January 1977. He went on to serve as the governor of Maharashtra from 3 November 1980 to 5 March 1982.

Air Chief Marshal Mehra was elected president of the Indian Olympic Association in 1975, and was responsible for the hosting by India of the 1982 Asian Games. From 1978 to 1980 he was President of the Asian Games Federation, currently known as the Olympic Council of Asia, and continued to be the Honorary Life President of the Olympic Council of Asia.

In January, 2010, his autobiography, Memories: Sweet and Sour, was released by M. Hamid Ansari, Vice President of India in New Delhi. He was chairman, Board of Advisors of Centre for Air Power Studies.

In 2012, he was living in Delhi, and was the oldest living student of Panjab University, Chandigarh. He died on 8 November 2015 at the age of 96.

Works Memories Sweet And Sour by Air Chief Marshal OP Mehra. KW Publisher, 2010. .