A PIONEER in aviation medicine, Dr Jagdev Singh Badhesha, died recently in hospital where he was being treated for pneumonia. He was 92.

Jagdev was Malaysia's longest-serving chief medical assessor and medical examiner and a true pioneer in aviation medicine, said Norazman Mahmud, chief executive officer of the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, reported Free Malaysia Today, of Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

He described Jagdev as a visionary leader who left an indelible mark on the industry, which he had served since 1976, and had touched the lives of countless people.

Jagdev served the civil aviation department and its successor CAAM for 45 years, before retiring on Dec 31, 2021. He also spent two-and-a-half-years as an armed forces doctor, specialising in aviation medicine, screening aircrew and air traffic controllers for the Royal Malaysian Air Force.