END OF AN ERA

Air Cmde SS Sahgal AVSM passed into eternity on 28^th January 2025 at the age of 99 years and 9 months. An era beginning with the Direct Entry Officers Courses for Technical Officers has come to an end - Air Cmde Sahgal being from the first of those courses, No. 1 DEO.

The DEOs continued till 51 DEO, after which the nomenclature changed to AECs (Aeronautical Engineers Course) without a change in the process of direct intake. A change comes up now as the first course with predominantly NDA graduates intake is to graduate from AFTC next month.

The first engineer in IAF, Air Vice Marshal Harjinder Singh’s period of service from day one of IAF till his retirement as the AOC-in-C Maintenance Command in 1964 has been widely acknowledged as the Harjinder Era.

No comparisons, however, one may consider Air Cmde Sahgal’s as an era establishing the foundations of engineering training and education in IAF. Having overseen eleven ab-initio and as many in-service conversion courses, As AFTC Commandant, Air Cmde Sahgal has had his pupils performing a vital role in Air Force.

I recall an incident when in 2006, Air Cmde Sahgal was spotted in a private dinner in AKASH Air Force Officers mess. Within minutes there was a long queue of officers of the rank of Air Marshal to Group Captain wanting to greet their AFTC Commandant. Air Cmde Sahgal delightfully shared memories of most pupils individually, some of them meeting him after nearly three decades.

Such was his passion to personally associate with each student, that he knew everyone among hundreds of students at AFTC. I have often recalled an incident when looking for a lift late at night, three of us found our Commandant stopping for us. Despite being overdue for return to AFTC, we were not asked a question by him – no names asked. However, we were called out by individual names for punishment next day. We felt most honoured for having been individually known to the Commandant.

An officer and a gentleman with impeccable ethics, Air Cmde Sahgal was a role model for the trainee officers as well as those on faculty. As Commandant, he participated in sports with the trainee officers – played Lawn tennis with us regularly and a game of cricket during organised activities.

He was complemented admirably by Mrs. Pushp Lata Sahgal, who added a lighter side to his personality. She spent time, training students to be worthy social beings, as she organised cultural activities and dance/ drama during course graduation ceremonies. Sadly, she passed away before him in June 22.

The two special things that, as a trainee officer, I recall about our AFTC days: One, that in groups of four, every one of us was invited to have tea served by Mrs. Sahgal at the Commandant’s official residence. And two, that exactly a year after our posting to the first unit, we got DO letters from the Commandant, affectionately appreciating feedback to him about our progress. For a day, we had become heroes in our units because of his letter.

अजब ना था, के मैं भी इंजीनियर बनकर, देश की सेवा से पहले, अपनी जेबें भरता।

AFTC में ना आता. तो फिर मैं क्या करता, सहगल सर  से  तालीम  मैं  नहीं  पाता।

कभी-कभी मेरे दिल में ख़याल आता है !                        - प्रमोद आठवले 

                       ▶️$ Pramod for Air Cmde Sahgal.mp3

The Sahgals’ admirers go well beyond their pupils to one and all who came in contact. They lived long and happy to bless all of us in many ways more than having to teach us. First, the passing away of Mrs. Sahgal and now of Air Commodore Sahgal brings a void in our lives. However, they leave behind delightful memories and great lessons for all of us.

May God bless their noble souls ! 🙏🏼 🙏🏼