Ch ief ▁( A OC - in - C ), ▁Southern ▁Air ▁Command . ▁He ▁assumed ▁the ▁office ▁on ▁ 1 ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁succeed ing ▁Air ▁Marsh al ▁Bal ak r ish nan ▁S ures h . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁ ▁Am it ▁is ▁an ▁al umn us ▁of ▁National ▁Def ence ▁Academy . ▁He ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁gradu ate ▁of ▁Def ence ▁Services ▁Staff ▁College , ▁College ▁of ▁Def ence ▁Management ▁and ▁National ▁Def ence ▁College . ▁ ▁Career ▁Am it ▁was ▁commission ed ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁Air ▁Force ▁as ▁a ▁f ighter ▁pilot ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁He ▁is ▁a ▁qualified ▁flight ▁instruct or , ▁and ▁has ▁a ▁flying ▁experience ▁of ▁over ▁ 3 5 0 0 ▁hours ▁on ▁various ▁f ighter ▁aircraft . ▁ ▁In ▁his ▁career , ▁he ▁has ▁held ▁several ▁positions ▁including ▁team ▁leader ▁of ▁sur ya ▁kir an ▁aer ob atic ▁squad ron , ▁station ▁commander ▁of ▁a ▁forward ▁base , ▁air ▁att ache ▁at ▁Indian ▁emb ass y ▁in ▁Afghan istan , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁air ▁defence ▁commander ▁and ▁senior ▁officer - in - charge ▁of ▁administration ▁at ▁an ▁oper ational ▁command . ▁His ▁other ▁appoint ments ▁include ▁assistant ▁chief ▁of ▁air ▁staff ▁( training ) ▁at ▁air ▁headquarters ▁and ▁command ant ▁air ▁force ▁a cademy . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁his ▁appointment ▁as ▁A OC - in - C , ▁Southern ▁Air ▁command , ▁Am it ▁served ▁as ▁Air ▁Officer ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁Person nel ▁at