Air Marshal Radhakrishnan takes over Southern Air Command

New Delhi, Oct 02 (ANI): Air Marshal S. Radhakrishnan took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Air Command of IAF on Oct 01.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, he has flown over 4000 hours on a variety of combat and trainer aircraft. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat Leader. He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in June 1970.

The Air Marshal has held a variety of operational and staff appointments during his career. His operational assignments include command of a frontline fighter squadron and an Air Defence Direction Centre in the sensitive Rajasthan sector.

He was the Air Officer Commanding of a fighter base in the Eastern sector and the Principal Director of Offensive Operations at Air Headquarters. He was also the Senior Officer-in-Charge Administration at Training Command and on promotion to the rank of Air Marshal was appointed Senior Air Staff Officer at Training Command.

Prior to assuming charge as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Air command he was the Commander-in-Chief of the strategically important Andaman and Nicobar Command, the only operational integrated Command of the Indian Armed Forces where formations of Army, Navy, Air Force and even the Coast Guard are placed under the Command of a single Commander.

The Air Marshal was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal by the President in January 2002. (ANI)