Jagdish Chandra Malik ‘JC’ was born in 1936 at Lyallpur in undivided Punjab (now known as Faislabad in Pakistan). After the trauma of partition, his family moved east of the Redcliffe line and ‘JC’ was educated at schools and universities of Delhi, graduating in English Honours. He was keen to join the armed forces and was commissioned in the IAF in January 1963, thereafter serving as instructor at a Ground Training Establishment at the Air Force Administrative Collage. He served as Chief Instructor at the Jungle and Snow Survival School and conducted 40 survival courses in difficult areas.
Then Squadron Leader JC Malik established the Public Relations Unit of the IAF at Headquarters Western Air Command in 1971 and in 1976, was appointed the Public Relations Officer (Air Force) at the Directorate of Public Relations of the Ministry of Defence.
JC made significant contribution to building of the image and publicity of the IAF. Prior to and during 1971 operations, he worked ceaselessly to secure wide publicity of air operations and allied activity in the Western Sector. He also wrote a series of articles on Air Operations, besides reporting on day to day activity. For his services of very high order, spread over a decade, the President was pleased to award him with the Vishisht Seva Medal. “The officer performed his job willingly and cheerfully with complete disregard to his personal comfort, at odd hours and often in adverse working conditions. His work has contributed greatly to better understanding of Defence Services among the masses.”
After retiring from the IAF in April 1989, ‘JC’ was appointed as head of Public Relations of the Airport Authority of India at Safdarjung Airport, which organisation he served till superannuating at the age of 60. He joined the Vayu Aerospace and Defence Review in 1996 as an Executive Editor, remaining with the Journal for the next 24 years, till the very last.
He passed away on 30 January 2020 at home in New Delhi and is survived by his wife, two daughters and their families.
RIP, ‘JC’