ADVISORY BOARD

As an Indian Air Force fighter pilot, he flew 21 Operational Missions on a Mig-21 aircraft during the Indo-Pak War in 1971. Subsequently, was selected and qualified as an Experimental Test Pilot and served as one for twenty five years thereafter.

During this period, he was selected for the Joint Indo-Soviet Space Mission, 1984, which culminated in an 8 day Near Earth Orbit Space Flight. He was awarded the Ashoka Chakra by the Indian Government; The Hero of The Soviet Union and The Order of Lenin by the erstwhile Soviet Government.

He returned to his test flying career after the space flight and served as the Chief Project Pilot of India’s quad digital fly –by-wire Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’ and, concurrently, as Chief Test Pilot of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL). During this period, his skills were extensively utilised by HAL on its indigenous Intermediate Jet Trainer Project. Out of a flying career spanning 33 years, he spent 25 years testing aircraft and systems. During this period, he flew 4000 hrs on all front line fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force. Retired from test flying in July 2001.

Joined the IT Industry in 2001 as the Chief Operations Officer of a Business Process Management IT company. Later, he headed the Indian Aerospace and Defence business unit of Parametric Technology Corporation, USA, till his retirement from active service in 2009.

Presently, he is the Chairman of the Board of the Automated Workflow Group, an IT company located at Bangalore.

Born in Srinagar, Kashmir, Vijaya Dar graduated with Honours in English from the University of Delhi. He joined the second PGP course in IIMC, graduating in 1967, specialising in Marketing and HRD.

His working career began with Bata Shoes in the factory in Batagunj, Patna, in material management, and later he was assigned to Bata Trinidad, in the West Indies, as Buyer & Costing Manager. At the end of this assignment he was selected to participate in an in-company training program in North America, for specialisation in Production Efficiency & Cost Control. He returned to India at the end of 1972 and started own factory in Mumbai making footwear for the export market, mainly targeting the US. Successfully ran the company until 1983, adding leather apparel to the range of products. He then shifted base to Chennai and for the next 20 years ran one of the most successful export businesses, concentrating on the European markets, including textile apparel to the range of products.

Vijaya Dar retired from active business in 2005, and shifted to Coonoor in the Nilgiris, where he has been active in public service ever since. An active Rotarian, past Secretary and President of the Rotary Club of the Nilgiris. Service projects for Community Development, welfare of the girl child, health and sanitation, care for the elders, have been priority areas for which the Club has raised funds and deployed across the district. He is the Editor of the Monthly Newsletter of the Club, called the Nilgiri Rotarian.