Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari appointed next Chief of Air Staff

New Delhi, September 21, 2021

Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, presently Vice-Chief of Air Staff, has been appointed as the next Chief of the Air Staff, the government announced here today.

He will succeed Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria on his retirement on September 30, a press release from the Ministry of Defence said.

Air Marshal Chaudhari was commissioned into the Fighter stream of Indian Air Force on 29th December 1982 and has held various Command, Staff and Instructional Appointments at various levels including the present one as Vice-Chief of Air Staff.

Air Marshal Chaudhari, who took over as the vice chief on July 1, has flying experience of more than 3,800 hrs on a wide variety of fighter and trainer aircraft, including missions flown during Operation Meghdoot and Operation Safed Sagar.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy and Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, he has commanded a frontline fighter squadron 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, Senior Air Staff Officer at the Eastern Air Command, and the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Air Command.

This Air Officer is decorated with PVSM, AVSM, VM.

NNN