Arup Raha

Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC

Born	(1954-12-26) December 26, 1954^[1] Baidyabati, West Bengal, India
Allegiance	India
Service/branch	Indian Air Force
Years of service	1975-
Rank	Air Chief Marshal^[2]
Commands held	Chief of the Air Staff Vice Chief of the Air Staff Western Air Command Central Air Command 47 Squadron IAF
Awards	Param Vishist Seva Medal (PVSM) Ati Vishist Seva Medal (AVSM) Vayusena Medal(VM)^[3] ADC

Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC was the 24th Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force and server from 31 December 2013 to 31 December 2016.^[2] He was also the Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee, a post occupied by India’s senior-most military officer, who advises the government and ensures jointsmanship in the armed forces.^[4]^[5]

Early life and education

Air Chief Marshal Raha was born in a Bengali family on 26 December 1954 in the city of Baidyabati, an area under the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority which is in the Indian State of West Bengal. His father was a reputed doctor. He was educated at Sainik School Purulia (1970 batch).^[6]^[7]

Military Training

Raha was trained at the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, India, from July 1970 to June 1973, and at the time of graduating from NDA in June 1973, he was awarded the Gold Medal for being the best cadet of the 44th NDA course. Subsequently, he did flying training on HT-2 and Kiran ( HJT-16 ) at the Air Force Academy, Hyderabad, before being commissioned into the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot in Dec 1974. After flying Hunters in Operational Conversion Unit, he went on to fly Mig -21 aircraft.

Military career

Raha has flown a wide variety of combat and trainer aircraft. After initial training on the HAL HT-2, he has flown the MIG-21 and MIG-29 aircraft and has commanded a MiG-29 fighter squadron and two frontline airbases along India's Western front. As on April 2, 2010, he had 3,400 hours of flying experience.^[5] Raha previously served as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force ^[8] and as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the Western Air Command,^[3] and that of the Central Air Command.^[5] He has also served as the Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters, Western Air Command and Deputy Commandant at Air Force Academy, Hyderabad.^[9]

Raha has held many important staff appointments in India and abroad.

Air Chief calls on PM

Notable Appointments Held

Name of Appointment	Rank	Period
Chief of Air Staff	Air Chief Marshal	December 31, 2013 to December 31, 2016
Vice Chief of Air Staff	Air Marshal	July 1, 2013 to 31 Dec 2013
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Air Command of the IAF	Air Marshal	June 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Air Command of the IAF	Air Marshal	02 Nov 2011 to 31 May 2012
Senior Air Staff Officer at Western Air Command	Air Vice Marshal	till 01 Nov 2011
Directing Staff at Flying Instructors School,Tambaram	Air Commodore	Unknown
Commanding Officer of No: 47 Squadron IAF Black Archers	Wing Commander	8 June 1992 to 5 June 1994

Awards and decorations

	Param Vishisht Seva Medal	Ati Vishisht Seva Medal	Vayu Sena Medal
Samanya Seva Medal	Operation Parakram Medal	Sainya Seva Medal	Videsh Seva Medal
50th Anniversary of Independence Medal	30 Years Long Service Medal	20 Years Long Service Medal	9 Years Long Service Medal

References

↑ "Arup Raha takes over as IAF chief - The Times of India". The Times Of India. 2013-12-31.
1 2 "Arup Raha takes over as IAF chief". Chennai, India: The Hindu. 2013-12-31. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
1 2 "Central Air Command". Indianairforce.nic.in. Retrieved 2012-06-23.
↑ "Arup Raha is new chief of staff". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2014-07-30.
1 2 3 "Arup Raha takes over as senior Air Staff Officer at WAC - Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 2010-04-02. Retrieved 2012-06-23.
↑ http://www.indianexpress.com/news/air-marshal-arup-raha-to-be-iaf-chief/1188816/
↑ Jayanta Gupta (January 26, 2012). "Sainik School in Purulia turns 50, Air Marshal to be chief guest - Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2012-06-23.
↑ "Air Marshal Arup Raha to take over as IAF Vice Chief". Retrieved 2013-07-03.
↑ Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha's official profile

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Military offices
Preceded by Norman Anil Kumar Browne	Chief of the Air Staff (India) 31 December 2013 - 31 December 2016	Succeeded by Birender Singh Dhanoa
Preceded by Bikram Singh (general)	Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee 31 July 2014 - 31 December 2016	Succeeded by Sunil Lanba
Preceded by Norman Anil Kumar Browne	Vice Chief of the Air Staff (India) 1 July 2013 - 31 December 2013	Succeeded by Ravi Kant Sharma

Chief of the Air Staff (India)
Commander, Indian Group (1919–1920)	Tom Webb-Bowen
Air Officer Commanding RAF, India (1920–1938)	Tom Webb-Bowen Philip Game Sir Edward Leonard Ellington Sir Geoffrey Salmond Sir John Miles Steel Sir Edgar Ludlow-Hewitt Sir Philip Joubert de la Ferté
Air Officer Commander-in-Chief, Air Forces in India (1938–1947)	Sir Philip Joubert de la Ferté Sir John Frederick Andrews Higgins Sir Patrick Playfair Sir Richard Peirse Sir Guy Garrod Meredith Thomas Sir Roderick Carr Sir Hugh Walmsley
Air Officer Commanding, Royal Indian Air Force (1947–1948)	Sir Thomas Elmhirst**
Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Air Force (1948–1950)	Sir Thomas Elmhirst**
Commander-in-Chief, Indian Air Force (1950–1955)	Sir Thomas Elmhirst Sir Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman Gerald Gibbs** Subroto Mukerjee
Chief of the Air Staff (1955–present)	Subroto Mukerjee Aspy Engineer Arjan Singh Pratap Chandra Lal Om Prakash Mehra Hrushikesh Moolgavkar I. H. Latif Dilbagh Singh Lakshman Madhav Katre Denis La Fontaine Surinder Mehra Nirmal Chandra Suri Swaroop Kaul Satish Kumar Sareen Anil Tipnis Srinivasapuram Krishnaswamy Shashindra Pal Tyagi Fali Homi Major Pradeep Vasant Naik Norman Anil Kumar Browne Arup Raha Birender Singh Dhanoa
(**Seconded from the Royal Air Force)

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