NEW DELHI: The government has confirmed the appointment of Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari as the next Indian Air Force Chief of Staff on Tuesday.
Announcing the decision, the Ministry of Defence in its press release said, “Government has decided to appoint Air Marshal V R Chaudhari presently Vice Chief of Air Staff, as the next Chief of the Air Staff after the retirement of Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria on 30th September 2021.”
The Air Marshal was commissioned in the Fighter Stream of the IAF on 29 December 82. The Air Officer has a flying experience of more than 3800 hrs on a wide variety of fighter and trainer aircraft, including missions flown during Op-Meghdoot (Siachen) and Op-Safed Sagar (Kargil).
He is an alumnus of National Defence Academy and Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.
During his illustrious career in the IAF, the Air Officer has commanded a frontline Fighter Sqn and a Fighter base. As an Air Vice Marshal, he has been Deputy Commandant, Air Force Academy, Assistant Chief of Air Staff Operations (Air Defence), and Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Personnel Officers). He has also held the coveted appointments of Deputy Chief of the Air Staff at Air HQ and Senior Air Staff Officer at Eastern Air Command. Prior to assuming the appointment Vice Chief, he was the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Air Command.
During his tenure as VCAS, he was instrumental in ensuring prompt and optimum operational deployment of assets in proportionate response to the developing situation in Eastern Ladakh. Under his guidance, IAF also effectively contributed towards various HADR and COVID-related tasks, both within India and abroad.