Port Blair, Feb 17: The Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC accompanied by Smt Lily Raha, President Air Force Wives Welfare Association (AFWWA) arrived here on a two day visit to Andaman and Nicobar Command on Monday. They were received by Vice Admiral Pradeep K Chatterjee, PVSM, AVSM, NM, ADC, Commander-in-Chief and Smt Rubu Chatterjee, President Dweep Wives Welfare Association (DWWA).
The Chairman COSC and CAS was given a detailed briefing on the operational preparedness of the Andaman and Nicobar Command and visited ANC units and establishments at Port Blair. He reviewed the infrastructure development and future perspective plan of ANC. He highlighted the importance of synergy amongst the three services being the central pillar to achieve military successes in the highly fluid and unstable security environment around the world. He emphasized that all out efforts towards infrastructure development in the islands would go a long way in providing India the edge in today’s political and economic uncertainties.
The Chairman COSC and President AFWWA accompanied by CINCAN and President DWWA visited Air Force Station Car Nicobar. They were received by Air Cmde Arun Bhaskar Gupta, Air Officer Commanding Air Force Component (AOC AFC) and other officials and presented with a Guard of Honour on his arrival.
The Chairman COSC and CAS interacted with the air warriors at length and applauded their efforts to keep the defence services flags flying high. He emphasised on the importance of improving the infrastructure of the isolated and strategically located Air Force Base towards National Security. He further stressed upon the need to keep vigil in view of the present security environment. He wished the Armed Forces personnel and their far away families the very best before departing for Delhi.
Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC graduated from the National Defence Academy, Pune, with the President’s Gold Medal in 1973 and was commissioned in the Flying Branch in Dec 1974. He is an experienced fighter pilot. He is a Cat A qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat Leader with nearly 3400 hrs of fighter aircraft flying experience. He has served as a Directing Staff at two premier institutes of IAF, Flying Instructors School and the Tactics and Combat Development Establishment. He has also been inspector at the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection in Air Headquarters and Staff Officer to the Chief of the Air Staff. He was deputed as the Military and Air Attache in the Embassy of India, Kyiv, Ukraine from 1999 to 2001.
An alumnus of Defence Services Staff College and the National Defence College, Delhi, he has held many operational assignments such as Commanding Officer of a MIG-29 Squadron, Station Commander of Air Force Station Bhatinda in Punjab during ‘OP PARAKRAM’, Air Officer Commanding Air Force Station Adampur and Advance Headquarters Western Air Command, Chandimandir. He has also been the Deputy Commandant Air Force Academy, Hyderabad and Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters Western Air Command. He has the rare distinction of being the Air Officer Commanding in Chief of two Operational Commands i.e. Central Air Command and the Western Air Command. Before taking over as Chief of the Air Staff, he held the appointment of Vice Chief of the Air Staff. He was also the Commodore Commandant of No 47 Squadron till 30 July 2015.
For his distinguished service, the Air Chief Marshal has been awarded Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vayu Sena Medal. He was appointed as Honorary Aide-de-Camp (Air) to the President of India wef 01 Dec 2012. Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC was appointed as the Chairman, Chief’s of Staff Committee on 31 Jul 14.
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