Air Marshal V.R. Chaudhari named as next IAF Chief
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New Delhi: The government announced on Tuesday that Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari will be the new head of the Indian Air Force.
"Government has decided to appoint Air Marshal V.R. Chaudhari, PVSM, AVSM, VM, presently Vice Chief of Air Staff, as the next Chief of Air Staff," a Defence Ministry statement said.
Vivek Ram Chaudhari will succeed Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria will step down on September 30th.
Since his induction into the IAF's fighter stream on December 29, 1982, he has served in a variety of positions of command, staff, and teaching. On July 1, Air Marshal Chaudhari became Vice Chief of the Air Staff. He has over 3,800 hours of flying experience on a diverse range of aircraft, including missions flown during Operation Meghdoot and Operation Safed Sagar.
An alumnus of the National Defence Academy and Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Chaudhari has commanded a frontline fighter squadron and a fighter base.
He has served as Deputy Commandant of the Air Force Academy, Assistant Chief of Air Staff Operations (Air Defence), and Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Personnel/Officers) as an Air Vice Marshal. He has also served as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff at Air HQ, Senior Air Staff Officer at the Eastern Air Command, and the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Air Command.