New Delhi, May 30 (ANI): Air Marshal DC Kumaria, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command, the most vital Operational Command of the Indian Air Force (IAF), will assume charge as the new Vice Chief of Air Staff at Air Headquarters here on June 1.
Having done his early schooling from Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC), Dehradun, Air Marshal Kumaria went on to join the Khadakwasla located National Defence Academy (NDA), and was commissioned in the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on June 2, 1973.
Early in his career, Air Marshal Kumaria flew all variants of the MiG-21 aircraft, and was among the first batch of fighter pilots chosen to convert on the Jaguar aircraft in the United Kingdom.
He also underwent the Qualified Weapon Instructor (QWI) course in UK, as well as the Instrument Rating Instructor and Examiner (IRIE) and the Fighter Combat Leader (FCL) Course, with a tenure as a Directing Staff at Tactics and Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) at Gwalior.
A graduate of the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington, Air Marshal Kumaria has held various important field and staff appointments.
He has commanded a front-line Jaguar Squadron specialising in Maritime Strike role and a major Fighter Base, where he was responsible for the operationalisation of air-to-air refuelling on IAF's fighter aircraft, Staff Officer to the Chief of the Air Staff and Air I at Headquarters, Western Air Command, Principle Director of Concept Studies at Air Headquarters where he had been especially selected to write the Air Power Doctrine of the Indian Air Force.
Air Marshal Kumaria was the first Assistant Chief of the Air Staff Operations (Space) at Air Headquarters, and on elevation to the rank of Air Marshal he was appointed as the first Director General Air (Operations) at Air Headquarters. He was the Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) at South Western Air Command prior to taking over command of the New Delhi based Western Air Command.
His foreign assignments include serving as the Assistant Defence Advisor (Air) at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, Bangladesh and as the Defence Attache at the Indian Embassy in Rome (Italy) with concurrent accreditation to Iberian countries.
He was awarded Vayu Sena Medal in 1983, Vishisht Seva Medal in 1996, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2007 and Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2012 .
Air Marshal Kumaria was appointed as Honorary Aide De Camp (Air) to the President of India on September 1, 2011. (ANI)
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