Surendra Kumar Ghotia

Air Marshal Surendra Kumar Ghotia, PVSM, VSM is an officer in the Indian Air Force. He is currently the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), South Western Air Command. He assumed the office on 1 October 2019 following Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora's elevation to Vice Chief of the Air Staff.[2]


Surendra Kumar Ghotia

Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Air Force
Years of serviceDecember 1981 - Present
Rank Air Marshal
Service number16575[1]
Commands heldSouth Western Air Command
Training Command
AwardsParam Vishisht Seva Medal
Vishisht Seva Medal

Early life and education

Ghotia is an alumnus of National Defence Academy Khadakwasla. He has undergone Air Staff course at Defence Services Staff College Wellington as well as Higher Air Command course at College of Air Warfare Secunderabad. He holds two master's degrees.[3][4][5]

Career

Ghotia was commissioned in the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot in December 1981. He has over 3000 hours of flying experience on different aircraft. He is also a qualified instructor with instructional experience of more than 1000 hours.[6][5]

His various field appointments include commanding a fighter squadron, chief operations officer, and station commander of a forward air base in South Western Air Command. He has served in a number of staff appointments including director intelligence at Air Headquarters, staff officer of fighter operations in Western Air Command, principal director training (flying) at Air Headquarters, assistant chief of air staff (intelligence), air officer commanding of COBRA group, and air attache at embassy of India in Paris.[6][5][3]

Ghotia assumed office of Senior Air Staff Officer, Training Command on 20 June 2016 and served in that capacity till his appointment as AOC-in-C, Training Command.[6]

He served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), Training Command from 1 May 2019 succeeding Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, to 30 September 2019.[7][5][8][9]

Honours and decorations

During his career, Ghotia has been awarded the commendation by Air Officer Commanding-in-chief, Western Air Command in 1994, commendation by Chief of Air Staff in 1998, Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in 2007, and Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) in January 2020 for his service.[3][1][10]

Param Vishisht Seva Medal Vishisht Seva Medal

Personal life

He is married to Nirmala Ghotia who is President of Air Force Wives Welfare Association (Regional), and they have two daughters.[3][4]

References

Military offices
Preceded by
Harjit Singh Arora
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, South Western Air Command
1 October 2019 - Present
Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command
1 May 2019 - 30 September 2019
Succeeded by
Arvindra Singh Butola
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