1) A large number of Defence services personnel retire every year at a very young age. After retirement, majority of them usually settle down in their villages and small towns. Since they are widely dispersed lot, they do not become ‘Vote Bank’ and therefore, the politicians in power in States care little for their rehabilitation and welfare. Through the ‘Directorate General of Settlement’ and Kendriya Sainik Board’ and ‘Rajya/Zila Sainik Board, responsible for the resettlement and welfare of all ex-servicemen are doing responsible for the general welfare, but they are helpless regarding ‘resettlement’ because of deficient resources and limited power. The governments, both at the Centre and the ‘State’ have to strengthen the existing system to make these boards creative nerve centres of mobilization of energy for the disciplined and the trained personnel. To make the whole system effective, more often than not central and regional ex-servicemen organisations have to be formed to ensure that the problems faced by this vast number of ex-service personnel are collectively projected to the government and progressed to secure for them and the families of those deceased enhanced welfare benefits, in particular for better Medicare and increased in pension amounts, in keeping with the demands of the residing cost of living index and their advancing age.
2) ‘Indian Ex-Services League’ was started in 1964 by Field Marshal Cariappa as a premier organisation to cater for the needs of all ex-servicemen. Government recognized that IESL was the only body to speak for ex-servicemen. However, subsequently looking at the types of indiscipline prevalent in the IESL due to the infighting, the concept of a separate organisation to cater the needs of ex-retirement life of servicemen must ponder over the reasons of the trauma of alienation an ex-servicemen gets on sudden divorce from his emotionally sheltered way of life on retirement.
3) This is how the Air Force Association (AFA) was born. The moving spirit behind the formation of the AFA was its first founder president, (Retired) Air Chief (Retired), who continued into that position for many years and later on as Vice President cum Hony. Secretary until early 1995, when he moved out to Gurgaon.
4) Air Force Association was formed on 15 Sep 1980, as a non political body but registered under Societies Registration Act 1860, with a mandate to promote the welfare of the retired Air Force personnel, their families and the families of those deceased. The Association has since been recognized by the Government as a premier ex-servicemen organisation. There is no special significance attached to the date 15 Sep, 1980. The approval for the Association was obtained by Air Cmde Saigal form the Ministry of Law on 08 Sep and the Certification of Registration was given by the “Registrar of Societies” on 15 Sep 1980, today it has over 32,000 members on its roll, with 20 branches spread all over India and two abroad – in UK and Australia- where many of our Air Force personnel live, having had migrated there after independence or later on to spend their post retired life near their kith and kin.
5) The constitutional features of the Association are quite unique as its President will not be elected but would be the last retired Air Chief. The primary reason for this arrangement was that Air HQ, its Commands and units would whole heartedly support the Association – following the direction that the ‘ins’ of today would be the ‘outs’ of tomorrow and come under the Air Force Associations fold. However, should the President be unable to do so for some reason or the other, the post-of Senior Vice President was instituted, who would manage the Association on his behalf. The idea of having the retiring Chief becoming President of the Air Force Association was sacrosanct to us. We had two such occasions where Air Chief Marshal Latif was appointed as Governor of Maharashtra and Air Chief Marshal Dilbagh Singh, ambassador to Brazil. Air Marshal GB Singh was the first Senior Vice President appointed to look after the day to day affairs of the Association.
6) The salient features and objectives of the Association were:-PROMOTE the welfare of officers and airmen who have served in the Indian Air Force and their widows and dependents.PRESERVE the memory and honour the example of those who have rendered meritorious service to the country.HELP rehabilitate retiring officers and airmen by finding suitable jobs or to assist them in establishing industries, business or other gainful activities.CREATE amongst the Public interest in the Air Force highlighting its role in the defence of the country.To further its welfare work, the Association seeks to foster GOOD FELLOWSHIP AND SPIRIT OF SERVICE amongst the members. This combination of WELFARE & COMRADESHIP is the reason for the Association’s birth.
AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION is an all-India body having its branches in the States and Union Territories. Born on 15 September 1980.
The Association is registered by Government to represent to them on matters of welfare of its members.
Any person who has served in the Indian Air Force as an officer or airman for the duration of one year or more (whether continuously or in broken periods) excluding the period of initial training, can become a member by paying life membership fee just once.
The Association’s HQ would be in Delhi and its branches would be within and outside India.
Members of the Governing Council. Executive Committee/ Sub-Committees shall hold office honorary and shall not receive any remuneration except that they shall be entitled for compensation against out of pocket expenses.
7) The Air Force Association stated functioning at Air Force Station, New Delhi with kind courtesy of Air HQ, who provided a decent room, some furnitures, a type-writer and a clerk. Subsequently, other facilities to run an institution came automatically through courtesy of Air HQ and AOC Air Force Station. The credit for all this goes to Air Cmde Saigal, who single handedly managed the affairs. In 1986, at the request of Air Cmde Saigal, Air Cmde Mahinder Singh former JAG (Air) joined the Association as its Joint Secy. He continued functioning as an office bearer (Jt. Secy; Secy; Vice President) until 1995 (with a short break in between). In the beginning the management of the Association was not able to attract many members who will donate on regular basis, their ‘TIME’ to work for the Association even if it is for a few hours a week. This hesitancy was perhaps due to the fact that this was a free and voluntary work without any remuneration. Later on, however, things improved. These two officers put the Association on a strong footing and made it popular. The legal background of Air Cmde Mahinder Singh was of great help not only to the retired personnel but also to serving personnel. During all this period, the Senior Vice President (Air Mshl GB Singh) and Vice President (Air Mshl S Jena) extended their full guidance and support in all spheres. Later on Air Mshl SKC Gupta, who took over as Senior Vice President, gave new dimensions to the Association, particularly in the areas of “Medicare” ‘Relations with Civil Police” and “V Poy Commission”.
8) Since it is an apolitical body, and essentially sustains itself on donations and contributions by its members; and hence its tangible welfare assistance hither to has been restricted to extending legal advice in property disputes, redress in cases of police harassments, some adhoc financial assistance to widows of its airmen members, coordination with Pension paying authorities for early release of family pensions, appeals in disability pension cases etc. Air Mshl Gupta always maintained that we lack funds but not the will to build a better future for our retired fraternity; and there is no turning back. In time, some other (young) people would come along to catch its romance and take the Association to greater heights.
