New Delhi, Dec. 31 -- The first time I met Air Commodore Janak Pratap Singh was when he was Joint Director Air Staff Inspections (ASI) in the rank of Group Captain in Air HQ (Vayu Bhavan) in July 1981. I had just returned from Iraq after a two year stint on deputation flying MiG- 21s with 17 Squadron of the Iraqi Air Force which was essentially based in Al-Kut in a training role for young pilots. I use the word 'essentially" because after the start of the Iraq-Iran War in September 1980, we were moved to Baghdad for operating from H-3 air base, close to the Jordanian border in Western Iraq. I was posted to the Directorate of ASI as an Inspector with Air Commodore MSD "Mally" Wollen as the Director.
Almost immediately, ASI visited Hindon w...