Air Marshal takes over as Vice-Chief of Air Staff

New Delhi, Nov 1: Air Marshal Bhushan Nilkanth Gokhale took over as Vice-Chief of the Air Staff at Air Headquarters today.

He succeeded Air Marshal Ajit Bhavnani who retired after 40 years of distinguished service.

Meanwhile, Air Marshal G S Chaudhry took over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Training Command, and Air Marshal P V Naik VSM as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Central Air Command.

Commissioned into the Indian Air Force in June 1968 in the fighter stream. Air Marshal Gokhale saw active operations during the 1971 Indo-Pak war He is a recipient of the 'Ati Vishisht Seva Medal' and the 'Vayu Sena Medal'.

A graduate of the Defence Service Staff College and an alumnus of the Air War College, USA, he held a variety of operational and staff appointments during his career.

His operational assignments included the command of a frontline fighter squadron and the command of a premier air base.

He had assignments abroad as flying instructor in Iraq and as Indian Defence Attache, Cairo.

As Assistant Chief of Air Staff for Operations, he played an important role in planning and execution of air operations, including 'Operation Parakram'.

Before his present assignment, he was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Training Command.

UNI