Air Marshal VPS Rana, PVSM, VSM (Retd) served in many important operational as well as administrative appointments. He commanded an AD Radar unit during “Kargil Operations” and was instrumental as Director (Operations), in the development and operationalisation of IACCS. A Category ‘Aye’ Master Fighter Controller, he has been an instructor at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and also at Defence Services Command and Staff College Lusaka, Zambia. He also served as Director Air Staff Inspection (C&R) and later assumed the command of ‘Air Force Administrative College’. He was Air Officer-in-Charge Administration (AOA) during the COVID crisis and coordinated the overall IAF effort in supplies, administration and medical response. His academic qualifications include Post Graduation in Plant Breeding & Genetics and Defence Studies, PG management diplomas in public administration and business administration and M Phil. He is presently working as Chief Advisor, Himalay Unnati Mission (HUM), a movement to preserve, protect and resurrect the ecological, economic, cultural and spiritual heritage of the Himalayas. He is the author of ‘Invisible Warriors’, a book on the Air Defence of India. Besides writing on service matters, he has also published works on water security and environmental issues.
