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Vivek Ram Chaudhari

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Air Chief Marshal
Vivek Ram Chaudhari
PVSM AVSM VM ADC
Official portrait
27th Chief of the Air Staff
In office
30 September 2021 (2021-09-30) – 30 September 2024 (2024-09-30)
President
Preceded byR. K. S. Bhadauria
Succeeded byAmar Preet Singh
45th Vice Chief of the Air Staff
In office
1 July 2021 (2021-07-01) – 30 September 2021 (2021-09-30)
Preceded byHarjit Singh Arora
Succeeded bySandeep Singh
Personal details
Born (1962-09-04) 4 September 1962 (age 62)[1]
NationalityIndian
Children2
ParentRambhau Ganapat Chaudhari (Father)
Military service
Allegiance India
Branch/service Indian Air Force
Years of service29 December 1982 - 30 September 2024
Rank Air Chief Marshal
UnitNo. 28 Squadron
CommandsWestern Air Command
Lohegaon Air Force Station
8 Forward Base Support Unit
No. 28 Squadron
Battles/warsOperation Meghdoot
Kargil war
Service number16978[2]
Awards Param Vishisht Seva Medal
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Vayu Sena Medal

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, PVSM AVSM VM ADC is a retired four-star air officer of the Indian Air Force who served as the Chief of the Air Staff.[3] He took over as the 27th Chief of Air Staff succeeding Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria on 30 September 2021.[4] He previously served as the 45th Vice Chief of the Air Staff.[5] He earlier served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Air Command[6] and as the Deputy Chief of Air Staff.[7]

Early life and education

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He was born to Rambhau Ganapat Chaudhari, his mother was a school headmistress. His grandfather was a teacher at the Zila Parishad school at Koli, a village in Hadgaon taluka.[8][9] He studied in primary school at Nanded. He subsequently moved to Pune and enrolled in a military school. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (61st Course), the Air Force Academy and the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington (DSSC).[10]

Career

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Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari was commissioned in the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot on 29 December 1982 from the Air Force Academy, Dundigal. During his illustrious career spanning over four decades, he has held various staff and instructional appointments and served in a wide spectrum of terrain. He is a Category 'A' qualified flying instructor, and Instrument Rating Instructor and examiner. He has a flying experience of over 3800 hours on various fighter aircraft including MiG-21, MiG-23MF, MiG-29 and Su-30MKI. He was also a pioneer member of the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Display Team.[11] As a fighter pilot, he flew operational missions during Operation Meghdoot and Operation Safed Sagar.[3] He has commanded the MiG-29 squadron, No. 28 Squadron IAF at Jamnagar and the forward base in Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir. He also served as the chief operations officer of the Srinagar Air Force Station.[12]

Flag officer

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As an Air commodore, he served as the Air assistant to the then Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik. He subsequently commanded the Lohegaon Air base in Pune. He has also served as an instructor at DSSC Wellington as well as Defence Services Command and Staff College at Lusaka, Zambia.[10]

After promotion to Air Vice Marshal, he served as the Assistant Chief of Air Staff Operations (Air Defence) at Air headquarters and as the Deputy Commandant at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal.[7] He subsequently was appointed the Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Personnel Officers). On 2 October 2018 he took over as the Deputy Chief of Air Staff at Air Headquarters, New Delhi.[7] A year later, on 1 October 2019 he was appointed as Senior Air Staff Officer of the Eastern Air Command in Shillong.[13]

On 1 August 2020, he took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Air Command succeeding Air Marshal Balakrishnan Suresh.[6] A year later, on 1 July 2021 he took over as the 45th Vice Chief of the Air Staff succeeding Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora who superannuated from service on 30 June 2021.[5]

Chief of Air Staff

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On 21 September 2021, the Government of India appointed Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari as the next Chief of the Air Staff.[4] On 30 September 2021, he took over as the 27th Chief of the Air Staff succeeding Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria.[14] He retired on 30 September 2024 after four decades of service and was succeeded by Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh.[15]

Honours and decorations

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During his career, he has been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal in 2004, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2015 [2] and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2021[16] for his service.

Param Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Vayu Sena Medal Samanya Seva Medal Operation Vijay Star
Special Service Medal Siachen Glacier Medal Operation Vijay Medal Operation Parakram Medal
Sainya Seva Medal High Altitude Service Medal Videsh Seva Medal 75th Anniversary of Independence Medal
50th Independence Anniversary Medal 30 Years Long Service Medal 20 Years Long Service Medal 9 Years Long Service Medal

Personal life

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He is married to Neeta Chaudhari. They have two sons.[7] His son Mihir Chaudhary is also an officer in Indian Air Force.[17]

Dates of rank

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Insignia Rank Component Date of rank
Pilot Officer Indian Air Force 29 December 1982
Flying Officer Indian Air Force 29 December 1983[18]
Flight Lieutenant Indian Air Force 21 December 1987[18]
Squadron Leader Indian Air Force 29 December 1993[18]
Wing Commander Indian Air Force 17 May 1999[18]
Group Captain Indian Air Force 1 March 2006[18]
Air Commodore Indian Air Force 1 September 2009[18]
Air Vice Marshal Indian Air Force 1 April 2013[18]
Air Marshal Indian Air Force 1 October 2018 (AOC-in-C from 1 August 2020)[18]
Air Chief Marshal
(CAS)		 Indian Air Force 30 September 2021[19]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "CHIEF OF THE AIR STAFF". Indian Air Force. 30 September 2021.
  2. ^ a b "President Confers Gallantry and Distinguished Service Awards". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 26 April 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari takes over as Indian Air Force chief".
  4. ^ a b "Air Marshal V R Chaudhari appointed next Chief of Air Staff". PIB. 21 September 2021.
  5. ^ a b "AIR MARSHAL VIVEK RAM CHAUDHARI PVSM AVSM VM ASSUMES CHARGE AS VICE CHIEF OF THE AIR STAFF". PIB. 1 July 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Air Marshal VR Chaudhari AVSM VM Assumes Command of Western Air Command". 1 August 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d "Air Marshal VR Chaudhari AVSM VM takes over as the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff". 2 October 2018.
  8. ^ Online, Lokmat (22 September 2021). "नांदेडचे सुपुत्र एअर मार्शल व्ही. आर. चाैधरी हाेणार नवे वायुसेना प्रमुख" [Air Marshal V.R. Chaudhari, sonnof Nanded going to become new Air chief.]. Lokmat. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  9. ^ "नांदेडचे भूमिपुत्र होणार हवाईदल प्रमुख! Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari to be next IAF Chief". 24 September 2021.
  10. ^ a b https://indianairforce.nic.in/chief-of-the-air-staff/
  11. ^ "Air Marshal V R Chaudhari to take over as chief of IAF's Western Air Command". The Economic Times. 25 July 2020.
  12. ^ "Service Record for Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari 16978 F(P) at Bharat Rakshak.com". Bharat Rakshak.
  13. ^ @proshillong (3 October 2019). "Air Mshl VR Chaudhari AVSM VM took over as Senior Air Staff Officer at EAC, #Shillong on 03 Oct 19. He is a Cat-A QFI,with over 3800 hrs of flying exp on various fighter aircraft. Prior to this assignment,he was the DCAS at Air HQ" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  14. ^ "Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari Takes Charge As New Air Force Chief". NDTV.com. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  15. ^ "Amar Preet Singh", Wikipedia, 10 October 2024, retrieved 10 October 2024
  16. ^ "President Shri Ram Nath Kovind approves 455 Gallantry & other defence decorations to Armed Forces personnel on Republic Day". PIB. 25 January 2021.
  17. ^ "IAF chief Vivek Ram Chaudhari: Ready for any eventuality, focus on being atmanirbhar".
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h "Service Record of Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari". Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  19. ^ "Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari Takes Over as the Chief of the Air Staff". Indian Air Force. New Delhi. 30 September 2021.
Military offices
Preceded by Chief of Air Staff
30 September 2021 - 30 September 2024 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Vice Chief of Air Staff
1 July 2021 – 30 September 2021 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command
1 August 2020 – 30 June 2021 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Senior Air Staff Officer Eastern Air Command
1 October 2019 – 31 July 2020 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Chief of the Air Staff
1 October 2018 – 30 September 2019 		Succeeded by
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