Air Marshal Raha assumes charge of Western Air Command's Senior Air Staff Officer

New Delhi, Apr 1 (ANI): Air Marshal Arup Raha on Thursday assumed the office of the Senior Air Staff Officer at Western Air Command in New Delhi.

An alumnus of National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, Air Marshal Raha was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in 1974.

Air Marshal Raha has approximately 3400 hours of flying to his credit.

A fighter combat leader and an experienced flying instructor, Air Marshal Raha is also an alumnus of the Tri-Services Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) and National Defence College (NDC).

He has held various important field and staff appointments, besides serving as a Director (staff) at the Flying Instructors School (FIS), Tambaram and Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE), Gwalior.

Air Marshal Raha has also functioned as an Inspector in the Directorate of Air Staff Inspection (DASI), at Air Head Quarters, Military and Air Attachi in Indian Embassies in Kyiv, Ukraine and Deputy Commandant at Air Force Academy, Hyderabad.

He has commanded a MiG-29 Squadron and two frontline bases in the Western Air Command and is the Commodore Commandant of 47 Squadron,a Mig- 29 Squadron known as the 'Black Archers'.

Prior to his present appointment, Air Marshal Raha was commanding the Advance Head Quarters, Western Air Command, Chandimandir.

For his distinguished service Air Marshal Raha was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal in 1995 and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2009. (ANI)