Rana Chhina

Rana Tej Pratap Singh Chhina (born 1960) is a writer, a military historian and a veteran of the Indian Air Force.

Military career

Born and raised in New Delhi, Chhina was selected for the National Defence Academy in 1976, shortly after graduating from St. Columba's School.

He went on to serve with distinction as a helicopter pilot in all sectors in which the Indian Air Force was operational. From 1990–93 he was a flight instructor at Air Force training institutions.

Military Historian

Since retiring from active service in 1997 as a Squadron Leader, Chhina has become a leading historian of the Indian Air Force, the former British Indian Army as well as Indian military medals and decorations.

In reviewing his book The Indian Distinguished Service Medal (2001), Prof. Ed Haynes of Winthrop University wrote,

Rarely does a book on medals come along that presents the sort of Platonic ideal that Rana T. S. Chhina's work on the IDSM presents. This is a model for emulation for any effort at addressing a single award. In addition to giving a masterful history of the development and evolution of the IDSM, Chhina gives a detailed listing of all recipients of the medal.

He is one of the key interviewees in the internationally acclaimed award-winning Canadian documentary about the Komagata Maru, "Continuous Journey".

He is the Secretary and Editor at the United Service Institution of India - Centre for Armed Forces Historical Research, New Delhi and is the vice president of the Indian Military Historical Society, UK.

In addition he is a member of the IAF Aerospace Museum Apex Steering Committee and the Government of India's Archival Advisory Board, as well as the joint USI-MEA Steering Committee responsible for coordinating international and national commemoration of India's participation in the First World War in connection with the centenary of the conflict.

Honours & Decorations

Chhina co-holds the record for a high-altitude flight (landing) for a medium-lift helicopter and is one of a small group of Indian officers to receive the rarely awarded prestigious MacGregor Medal for valuable military reconnaissance in 1998.

In November 2016, he was made an honorary member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his contributions to both, India-UK relations and for his work on British India's contributions to World War I.

Books

As Author

The Indian Distinguished Service Medal (2001)

The Eagle Strikes(2006)

The Indian Army: An Illustrated Overview(2007)

Medals and decorations of independent India(2008)

Indian Order of Merit (with Cliff Parrett, of the Indian Military Historical Society (IMHS)) (2010)

India And The First World War 1914-1918 (2014)

India in Flanders Fields (co-author) (2017)

As Editor

For the honour of India: a history of Indian peacekeeping, by Lieutenant General Satish Nambiar (2009)

References

Additional references

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