Air Marshal BS Dhanoa: Kargil war veteran who flew numerous strike missions

Birender Singh Dhanoa has been appointed Indian Air Force’s new chief

Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa has been appointed as the new chief of Indian Air Force, succeeding Arup Raha at the helm of Air Staff. He will assume the new responsibility on December 31. Having been commissioned into the IAF in June 1978 as a fighter pilot, Dhanoa served as Vice Chief of the Air Staff for a year and half.

Before being appointed as Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Dhanoa was the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the South Western Air Command. He had also served as Chief Instructor (Air) at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington in Tamil Nadu, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Intelligence) at Air Headquarters and Senior Air Staff Officer of two operational Commands.

Read: Lt. Gen Bipin Rawat to be next Indian Army chief; B.S Dhanoa to be IAF chief

Story continues below this ad

Dhanoa, an alumnus of Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) and the National Defence Academy (NDA), commanded a fighter squadron and himself flew numerous night-strike missions in the mountainous terrain during the Kargil operations.

He is also the recipient of Presidential awards AVSM, YSM and VM for his distinguished services, most prominently for his gallant efforts during the Kargil war. He also has the distinction of having conducted a number of the important operational appointments including Station Commander of a fighter base and leader of an Indian Military Training Team abroad.