Air Marshal Subroto Mukherjee was the first Indian to serve as Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force, holding the position from 1 April 1954 until his untimely death on 8 November 1960. A pioneering figure in Indian military aviation, he was among the first six Indians selected for officer training at RAF Cranwell, following the decision to induct Indians into the Royal Air Force. In 1933, he joined the Indian Air Force as a pilot during the formation of its first squadron. By July 1938, as a Flying Officer, he was placed in command of ‘B’ Flight of No.1 IAF Squadron, and on 16 March 1939, he became the first Indian officer to command an entire squadron—marking a significant milestone in the indigenization of the Indian Air Force.

Following India’s independence on 15 August 1947, Mukherjee, then an Air Commodore, was promoted to Air Vice Marshal and appointed Deputy Chief of Air Staff at Air Headquarters. He succeeded Air Marshal Gerald Gibbs as Chief of Air Staff on 1 April 1954, becoming the first Indian to lead the IAF. Under his leadership, the Indian Air Force underwent significant modernization and growth, laying the foundation for its future as a formidable air power. Tragically, his distinguished career was cut short when he died on 8 November 1960 in Tokyo, after choking on food during an official visit. His legacy as the "Father of the Indian Air Force" endures to this day.