AVMs Malhotra

New Delhi, June 5 (UNI) Air Vice Marshals Paramjit Singh Bhangu and LK Malhotra have assumed their new appointments of Assistant Chiefs of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force, it was today announced.

While AVM Bhangu shall be ACAS (Personnel-Airmen and Civilians) AVM Malhotra shall be ACAS (Personnel-Officers), an official spokesperson here said.

AVM PS Bhangu graduated from the National Defence Academy (NDA) and was commissioned as a fighter pilot in January 1972. He is also an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington.

He has 4,500 hrs of flying on fighter and trainer aircraft and served in number of fighter combat aircraft units. He has also served as Commanding Officer of the prestigious Indian Air Force combat unit -- Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment -- and Air Force Station Naliya for 3 and 2 years, respectively.

Besides appointments at Air HQ as Joint Director and Director Flight Safety, he had a diplomatic tenure in the Indian Embassy at Moscow, Russia, as Air Attache for over 3 years.

He has also held the appointment of Director General, Air Force Naval Housing Board for almost a year.

The Air Officer hitherto held the appointment of Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Personnel Officers).

The Air Vice Marshal was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal in 1992 and Ati Vishist Seva Medal in 1996 for exceptional devotion to duty.

AVM LK Malhotra was commissioned in the fighter stream in 1973 and has flown some 4,000 hours on a variety of fighter aircraft.

He is a graduate of the NDA, a Qualified Flying Instructor, an Instrument Rating Instructor/Examiner, a graduate of the DSSC and has undergone the Higher Command Course at the College of Combat, Mhow.

He has held several important field and staff appointments which include Commanding Officer of a fighter squadron, Chief Operations Officer of a Fighter Base in an active command, Directing Staff at the College of Air Warfare, command of a Tactical unit in Eastern Air command and important Staff appointments at the Air Headquarters.

He has commanded a premier Fighter Base in Western Air Command and, after a short Staff tenure at Air HQ, has now assumed the present appointment of Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Personnel Officers) at Air HQ.

He has been commended by the Chief of Air Staff and is a recipient of the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal for exemplary leadership, dedication and distinguished service.

UNI