IAF Maintenance Command Holds Veteran and NOK Interaction in Nagpur, Felicitates Retired Personnel
Headquarters Maintenance Command, Nagpur, hosted a Command Staff Interaction with Air Veterans and Next of Kin (NOKs) on September 17, 2026, bringing senior Indian Air Force leadership face to face with veterans and family members to hear concerns and strengthen institutional ties.
The interaction was chaired by Air Marshal Yalla Umesh, VSM, PhD, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), Maintenance Command. The meeting was intended as a direct forum for veterans and NOKs to raise issues, seek redressal where possible and engage with the command leadership on matters affecting them.
At the event, Air Marshal Yalla Umesh felicitated Wing Commander SK Jain (Retd), Honorary Flying Officer MS Chauhan (Retd) and Mrs Sanjivani Yeole, wife of Late Warrant Officer Maroti Yeole. The recognition was presented as an acknowledgement of their dedicated service to the nation and their association with the Indian Air Force.
Interactions of this kind give veterans and NOKs an opportunity to place their concerns directly before senior commanders rather than through several layers of communication. They also help maintain a continuing relationship between serving personnel, those who have already completed their service, and the families of air warriors who have died in service.
The emphasis on veterans and NOKs reflected the broader support framework the IAF seeks to maintain for its extended community. Veterans remain part of the Air Force family, while the relatives of serving and deceased personnel continue to be linked to the service through welfare, remembrance and institutional engagement.
Maintenance Command, which plays a key role in sustaining the Indian Air Force’s operational capability through maintenance and technical support, provided the setting for the interaction at its headquarters in Nagpur. Against that backdrop, the engagement combined welfare outreach with direct communication between the command and the veteran community.
The felicitation of the veterans and Mrs Sanjivani Yeole also served as recognition of the sacrifices and contributions associated with military service. Such gestures help preserve the bond between the institution and those who have contributed to its operational and organisational strength over the years.
The Command Staff Interaction reaffirmed the Indian Air Force’s continuing focus on honour, connect and care, while offering a practical platform for addressing concerns and sustaining contact with its wider service community.
By combining formal recognition with direct engagement on veteran and family concerns, the September 17 event at Headquarters Maintenance Command reinforced the IAF’s effort to remain closely connected with those who have served and the families who remain part of its institutional fabric.
