Rana Chhina

Rana Tej Pratap Singh Chhina (born 1960) is a writer and military historian and a veteran of the Indian Air Force.

Born and raised in New Delhi, Chhina was selected for the National Defence Academy in 1976, shortly after graduating from St. Columba's School.

He went on to serve with distinction as a helicopter pilot in all sectors in which the Indian Air Force was operational. From 1990–93 he was a flight instructor at Air Force training institutions.

Chhina is one of a small group of Indian officers to receive the rarely awarded prestigious MacGregor Medal for valuable military reconnaissance. He holds the record for a high-altitude flight (landing) for a medium-lift helicopter.

Since retiring from active service in 1997 as a Squadron Leader, Chhina has become a leading historian of the Indian Air Force and the former British Indian Army. He was responsible for organising the Indian Air Force archives at Air Headquarters.

He is the author of five books, the latest of which is Medals and decorations of independent India, a study of India’s post-Independence military and civil honours and awards. His previous works include: The Indian Air Force Memorial Book - a consolidated account of battle casualties of the Indian Air Force from 1932to 1996; a ; "The Eagle Strikes - The Royal Indian Air Force 1932-1950".; and "The Indian Army: An Illustrated Overview",; a monograph on the pre-independence gallantry award The Indian Distinguished Service Medal and most recently one on the Indian Order of Merit (with Cliff Parrett, of the Indian Military Historical Society (IMHS)), this is the first of three volumes - the second and third volumes are expected to follow soon.

In reviewing his book The Indian Distinguished Service Medal (2001), Prof. Ed Haynes of Winthrop University wrote,

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