NEW DELHI: Air Marshal Tarun Chaudhry assumed command of the Indian Air Force's Central Air Command on Monday, taking over from Air Marshal Balakrishnan Manikantan, who superannuated after four decades of service.
According to the IAF, Air Marshal Chaudhry was commissioned into the fighter stream in December 1989. He carries over three decades of experience across operational, staff and diplomatic assignments. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College, College of Air Warfare and the National Defence College.
The Central Air Command, headquartered at Allahabad, plays a critical role in the IAF’s operational architecture, covering a vast stretch of central India and providing strategic depth to both the western and northern fronts.
During his career, the Air Marshal has held a range of key appointments. On the diplomatic front, he served as Defence Attaché at the Indian Embassy in Stockholm, with concurrent accreditation to Norway, Finland and Denmark. He has also served at Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff and Air Headquarters, specialising in projects, acquisitions and human resource management.
AM Chaudhry has been associated with several capability enhancement programmes and the induction of new technologies into the IAF. Prior to taking charge of Central Air Command, he was serving as Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Southern Air Command.