3rd “Jumbo” Majumdar International Conference

The third edition of “Jumbo” Majumdar International Conference on “Aerospace Leadership in the coming decades” was inaugurated by Minister of State for Defence, Dr MM Pallam Raju, in New Delhi, today. The conference is jointly organized by the Centre for Air Power Studies (CAPS), Air Headquarters and Vivekananda International Foundation.

The two-day conference commemorates one of the great pioneers of the Indian Air Force (IAF), late Wing Commander KK “Jumbo” Majumdar, who was twice decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), first with IAF in Burma front 71 years ago, and second in the European theatre of World War-II, flying with the Royal Air Force.

Drawing distinction between leadership amongst various professions in civilian professions, Dr Pallam Raju in his inaugural address spoke of military leadership as being unique for reasons that at the personal level, the life of individual remains at stake, and in the case of Air Force, for the aircrew even during flying in peace-time. He also said that military leadership is accountable for the defence of the nation.

Dwelling on aerospace leadership, Dr Pallam Raju said self-discipline while operating three-dimensionally in the vertical medium of air and space would be an essential value that the leadership needs to encourage and ensure younger generations of air warriors imbibe.

The tempo for the brainstorming sessions for the conference was set forth by Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal PV Naik, who during his keynote address stated that military campaigns was essentially about whether mission is either accomplished or not. In the backdrop of the transformation that IAF is currently undergoing, the Air Chief said that core competency and wide domain knowledge will have to be acquired by all future leaders.

Others who spoke at the inauguration included Marshal of the IAF Arjan Singh who delivered the Presidential address infusing wisdom with wit, Director CAPS, Air Commodore Jasjit Singh and Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Forces Command, Air Marshal KJ Mathews. Eminent speakers from the three services, industries and senior military officers from French, German and US Air Force are among those who would speak at the conference.