DrArvindSinha winsan internationalleadership awardrecognisinghis distinguished careerin vertical flight technology

BY PREETI JABBAL

Combiningtechnology wid1 tactics, he has soared ro heights that have landed him many coveted international accolades throughout his career.?\lost recently,Melbourne's Lieutenant Colonel (Ret'd)Dr Arvind Sinhareceived the World's Outstanding Aerospace EngineerLeadershipAward from theAmericanHelicopterSociety (AHS)Internacional.AHS is the world'spremier professional inscirucion dedicated to vertical flight technology and advancement.

Inaddition tothis award,Dr Sinha was bestowed the titleof HonoraryFellow inMay2016.According to theAHS,tbe title is granted tosocietymembers who have shown exceptional leadership, or made iru1ovative or otl1ermeritorious contributions, that have significanrJy advanced AHS Internationalandthe vertical Aightcommunity.

Duringhis distinguishedcareer, both in IndiaandAustralia,Dr Sinhahas received numerous awards, spanning military operations, design projectsandacademia, but this one,accordingtohim, is"the cremede lacreme". Nominations for the prestigiousAHSawardscome from "acrossthe globe"and it is the benchmark for leadership excellence in vertical flight technology.

According to Col.Samir Roychowdhury, Dr Sinha'sGuru while he was acadet in the early 1970sat tl1eNationalDefence AcademyinIndia, and coordinator of Vicrorian Indian Veterans, Dr Sinha ismostsoughtoutin the worldin his field of AerospaceEngineering. This international recognition isbefittingof hiscontributiontoaviationglobally,said Col. Roychowdhury. "He hasdone us most proud wicl1 his achievements ina specialised, niche rotorcraft technology."

Dr Sinhais ntrrenclythe Directorof Engineering, Helicopter

SystemsDivision,CapabilityAcquisition andSustainment Group (CASG), at the Department of Defence,Australia.Working on AustralianArmyand Navyaviation platform_and systems technologies, he is an expert inTacticalAerospaceSystems, covering helicopters and rnm1anned Aircraft.

He is the fom1ding Presidentof the AHS Australian Chapter and is on the AHSInternational Board-of-Directors as Dicector of the Asia-Australia Region, and the lnternacional Helicopter SafetyTeam as theAustralian lead. He wasalsoa former Professor andDirector ofAerospaceand AviationResearch Centreat RMIT,andnow holds the titleof Professor ofAerospace Design at MonashUniversit:y.

Speaking to Dr Sinhaon his reruro from the Internacional award ceremonyheldin Virginia,USA,it is clear that he has anarray of high level competenciesas well asan impressive personality.From shero-sht!Jari (couplets andpoetry) toyesteryear music, his hobbies are eclecticand filled with joie de vivre.So is his customarypre-dinner drink. "I prefer to keepan ordinarypublic profile,as oneamongstyouall,however,I enjoy meeting people,provided one'sstature andpositionis kept atrest," saidDr Sinha.

In few words, in animprompru shayari/ poetic format he said, Milihai1myhek11chginesaanse, Jeetah1111111ainharsaamtll{yelekm: IJ7ho bhik;yajeenah11i, harrvaqtrotehue, i\!IaZfltho 111ein!etah11n,aasoonknhasi111ehadal ke.

Kabhi, meremakhaneke1/leh_ftl111eincwkartho dhekho, Hark-Lldamzi11dagika, thomtrhell".raamjeena kn, lviaZflahefe;;1ahai.

As an ActiveCombatant Paratrooper,Dr Sinha invests considerabletimeand energy in his fitness and health.

"I go coIndiaeveryyear in I ovember, topara jump and skydive with myArmy Officers - comradeshalf myagel" said Dr Sinha with a chuckle.

Prior to his earlyrecirement from the Indian Armed Forces, Dr SinJrn commandedelite unitsof Electronic Warfareand Airborne Special Forces. Asa youngMajorhe was posted to command an engineeringunit on the high-densityalcin1de SiachenGlacieras pare of Operation Meghdoot in 1984.TheGlacierregon is thehighestbattlegrotmdon Earth,at a height of over 6,000 metres (20,000fr)

''Anaverage stint there does notexceed 90days due to the harshconditions chat test hwnan endurance,"DrSinharecalled. "However,mytenure was specially extended to two years for operational reasons, and mycommand washonottred with a'Special Operations Order."'

Speaking of his movetoMelbourne,Dr Sinhashared that he wasthe fust person, and probablytl1elast,tomigrateoverseas in bisentire family.

"Ibelongtoaproud Kshatriya Rajpuc family with atradition of serving in the IndianArmed Forces.There was no thought of moving overseas.However, I wasselectedbased on myTITMasters \Vorkin Helicopter Design for aDoctoral Project-basedapplication research under anAustralian Government Sponsored Scholarship with RMIT University,"he said.

",\special approval was granted bytl1e IndianMinistryof Defenceenabling me toproceed overseasforover threeyears, despite beingan active dutyofficer."

After hisDoctorate he returned toIndia tobecome the Dean of the Faculty of Aviation in MilitaryCollegeof Electronics and Mechanical Engineering. He subsequently roseco the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In1999Rlv11T University offeredhim anopporrunity tocontinue his helicopter design work as aSenior Researcher and Manager AerospaceDesign and CommercialOfficeon aproject with AustralianDefenceScience and Technology Group.He was granted retirement from the IndianArmyand he moved tol.ive and work inMelbourne with his wife and daughter.

''Mycircumstancesare different coother migrants asI had nobreakin continuity of myprofession.I adaptedtobalancecl1e two (Indian andAustralian) professional styles, way-of-life, culmraJ outlook,and accepted tough challenges," Dr Sinha said. "Witl1 thesupportof both the lnclian and Australian Governments I achieved global success as anindividual and contributed to die people and nations at.largein the field of Aerospace.TodayI walk \vithpride and humilityandam extremelycontent with my profession and life."