Air Marshal Balakrishnan Suresh takes charge

Air Marshal Balakrishnan Suresh on Wednesday took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Air Command in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Air Marshal, who hails from Thiruvananthapuram, is a graduate of the ‘Rashtriya Indian Military College’, Dehradun and an alumnus of the ‘National Defence Academy’, Kharakvasla.

In December 13, 1980, Air Marshal Suresh was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force in the flying branch of IAF.

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A highly experienced fighter pilot who has flown a variety of fighter aircraft and helicopters, Air Marshal Suresh has held a number of staff appointments, including Director Operations (Joint Planning), Directing Staff (TACDE), Air Assistant to Chief of Air Staff, Assistant Chief of Air Staff Operations (Air Defense) and Indian Air Force’s Officer-in-charge Personnel (AOP) at Air Headquarters.

An impressive Guard of Honour was presented to him at the Command on his taking over, an official release said.

The immaculately turned out air warriors accorded a warm welcome to their AOC-in-C, the official statement said.

(With inputs from agencies)