Chief of the Air Staff (India)

Chief of the Air Staff is the professional head and the commander of the Indian Air Force.[3] The position is abbreviated as CAS in the Indian Air Force cables and communication, and is always held by the highest-ranking air officer, an Air Chief Marshal. The current CAS is Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria who took office on 30 September 2019, following the retirement of Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa.[4]

Chief of the Air Staff
Flag of the Chief of the Air Staff
Incumbent
Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria
since 30 September 2019
 Indian Air Force
AbbreviationCAS
Member ofNational Security Council
SeatCentral Secretariat
AppointerAppointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC)
The Chief of the Air Staff is usually the senior-most Indian Air Force officer of the senior most batch. The appointee for the office is approved by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister, based on appointee's ability and strong confidence with Prime Minister.
Term length3 years or at the age of 62, whichever is earlier.
Constituting instrumentAir Force Act, 1950 (Act No. 45 of 1950)
PrecursorCommander-in-Chief, Indian Air Force
Formation1 April 1955 (1955-04-01)
First holderAir Marshal Subroto Mukherjee
DeputyVice Chief of Air Staff
Salary₹250,000 (US$3,600) monthly[1][2]
WebsiteOfficial website

The position was held by an Air Commodore (1919–1923), by an Air Vice-Marshal (1923–1929) and by an Air Marshal (1929–1965). In 1966, the position was upgraded to that of an Air Chief Marshal. The highest rank in the India's IAF is Marshal of the Air Force, which is conferred by the President of India only in exceptional circumstances. It has only been given once in January 2002 to Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh. This is a five-star rank and is equivalent to a Field Marshal in the Army and Admiral of the Fleet in the Navy.

List

Commander, Indian Group (1919 to 1920)
No. NameTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1
Webb-Bowen, TomAir Commodore
Tom Webb-Bowen CB, CMG
(1879–1956)		20 September 191927 January 1920129 days

Air Officer Commanding RAF, India (1920–1938)
No. NameTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1
Webb-Bowen, TomAir Commodore
Tom Webb-Bowen CB, CMG
(1879–1956)		27 January 192031 December 19222 years, 338 days
2
Game, PhilipAir Vice-Marshal
Philip Game CB, DSO
(1876–1961)		31 December 19225 November 1923309 days
3
Ellington, EdwardMarshal of the Royal Air Force
Sir Edward Leonard Ellington KCB, CMG, CBE
(1877–1967)		5 November 192327 December 19263 years, 52 days
4
Ellington, EdwardAir Chief Marshal
Sir Geoffrey Salmond KCB, KCMG, DSO
(1878–1933)		27 December 19266 February 19314 years, 41 days
5
Steel, JohnAir Chief Marshal
Sir John Miles Steel KCB, KBE, CMG
(1877–1965)		6 February 19312 March 19354 years, 24 days
6
Ludlow-Hewitt, EdgarAir Chief Marshal
Sir Edgar Ludlow-Hewitt KCB, CMG, DSO, MC
(1886–1973)		2 March 193529 September 19372 years, 211 days
7
de la Ferté, PhilipAir Chief Marshal
Sir Philip Joubert de la Ferté KCB, CMG, DSO
(1886–1973)		29 September 193727 December 19381 year, 89 days

Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Air Forces in India (1938–1947)
No. NameTook officeLeft officeTime in officeRef
1
de la Ferté, PhilipAir Chief Marshal
Sir Philip Joubert de la Ferté KCB, CMG, DSO
(1886–1973)		27 December 19386 October 1939283 days[5]
2
Higgins, JohnAir Marshal
Sir John Higgins KCB, KBE, DSO, AFC
(1875–1948)		6 October 193926 September 1940356 days—
3
Playfair, PatrickAir Marshal
Sir Patrick Playfair KCB, CB, CVO, MC
(1889–1974)		26 September 19406 March 19421 year, 161 days—
4
Peirse, RichardAir Chief Marshal
Sir Richard Peirse KCB, DSO, AFC
(1892–1970)		6 March 194227 April 19431 year, 52 days—
5
Garrod, GuyAir Chief Marshal
Sir Guy Garrod KCB, OBE, MC, DFC
(1891–1965)		27 April 19438 March 1944316 days—
6
Thomas, MeredithAir Vice-Marshal
Meredith Thomas CSI, CBE, DFC, AFC
(1892–1984)		8 March 19441 April 19462 years, 24 days—
7
Carr, RoderickAir Marshal
Sir Roderick Carr KBE, CB, DFC, AFC
(1891–1971)		1 April 194622 November 1946235 days—
8
Walmsley, HughAir Marshal
Sir Hugh Walmsley KCIE, CBE, MC, DFC
(1898–1985)		22 November 194615 August 1947252 days—

(On 15 August 1947, the unified RIAF was separated into the Royal Indian Air Force and the Royal Pakistan Air Force)

The following tables chronicle the appointees to the office of the Chief of the Air Staff or its preceding positions since the independence of India.[6]

(**Seconded from the Royal Air Force)

Air Officer Commanding, Royal Indian Air Force (1947–1948)
No. NameTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1
Elmhirst, ThomasAir Marshal
Sir Thomas Elmhirst KBE, CB, AFC
(1895–1982)
[lower-alpha 1]		15 August 194721 June 1948311 days

Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Air Force (1948–1950)
No. NameTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1
Elmhirst, ThomasAir Marshal
Sir Thomas Elmhirst KBE, CB, AFC
(1895–1982)
[lower-alpha 1]		21 June 194825 January 19501 year, 218 days

Commander-in-Chief, Indian Air Force (1950–1955)
No. NameTook officeLeft officeTime in office
1
Elmhirst, ThomasAir Marshal
Sir Thomas Elmhirst KBE, CB, AFC
(1895–1982)
[lower-alpha 1][7]		26 January 195023 February 195028 days
2
Ivelaw-Chapman, RonaldAir Chief Marshal
Sir Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman KBE, GCB, CB, DFC, AFC
(1899–1978)
[lower-alpha 1]		23 February 19509 December 19511 year, 289 days
3
Gibbs, GeraldAir Marshal
Gerald Gibbs CIE, CBE, MC & Two Bars
(1896–1992)
[lower-alpha 1]		10 December 195131 March 19542 years, 111 days
4
Mukerjee, SubrotoAir Marshal
Subroto Mukerjee OBE
(1911–1960)		1 April 195431 March 19551 year, 0 days

Chief of the Air Staff (1955–present)
No. Picture NameTook officeLeft officeTime in office
4
Mukerjee, SubrotoAir Marshal
Subroto Mukerjee OBE
(1911–1960)		1 April 19558 November 1960 †5 years, 221 days
5
Engineer, AspyAir Marshal
Aspy Engineer DFC
(1912–2002)		1 December 196031 July 19643 years, 243 days
6
Singh, ArjanAir Chief Marshal
Arjan Singh DFC
(1919–2017)		1 August 196415 July 19694 years, 348 days
7
Lal, PratapAir Chief Marshal
Pratap Chandra Lal DFC
(1916–1982)		16 July 196915 January 19733 years, 184 days
8
Mehra, OmAir Chief Marshal
Om Prakash Mehra PVSM
(1919–2015)		16 January 197331 January 19763 years, 15 days
9
Moolgavkar, HrushikeshAir Chief Marshal
Hrushikesh Moolgavkar PVSM, MVC
(1920–2015)		1 February 197630 August 19782 years, 241 days
10
Latif, IdrisAir Chief Marshal
Idris Hasan Latif PVSM
(1923–2018)		1 September 197830 August 19813 years, 29 days
11
Singh, DilbaghAir Chief Marshal
Dilbagh Singh PVSM, AVSM, VM
(1926–2001)		1 September 19813 September 19843 years, 2 days
12
Katre, LakshmanAir Chief Marshal
Lakshman Madhav Katre PVSM, AVSM
(1926–1985)		3 September 19841 July 1985 †301 days
13
Fontaine, DenisAir Chief Marshal
Denis La Fontaine PVSM, AVSM, VSM
(1929–2011)		3 July 198531 July 19883 years, 28 days
14
Mehra, SurinderAir Chief Marshal
Surinder Mehra PVSM
(1932–2003)		1 August 198831 July 19912 years, 364 days
15
Suri, NirmalAir Chief Marshal
Nirmal Chandra Suri PVSM, AVSM, VSM
(born 1933)		31 July 199131 July 19932 years, 0 days
16
Kaul, SwaroopAir Chief Marshal
Swaroop Krishna Kaul PVSM, MVC
(born 1935)		1 August 199331 December 19952 years, 152 days
17
Sareen, SatishAir Chief Marshal
Satish Sareen PVSM, AVSM, VM
(born 1939)		31 December 199531 December 19983 years, 0 days
18
Tipnis, AnilAir Chief Marshal
Anil Yashwant Tipnis PVSM, AVSM
(born 1940)		31 December 199831 December 20013 years, 0 days
19
Krishnaswamy, SrinivasapuramAir Chief Marshal
Srinivasapuram Krishnaswamy PVSM, AVSM, VM
(born 1943)		31 December 200131 December 20043 years, 0 days
20
Tyagi, ShashindraAir Chief Marshal
Shashindra Pal Tyagi PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC
(born 1945)		31 December 200431 March 20072 years, 90 days
21
Major, FaliAir Chief Marshal
Fali Homi Major PVSM, AVSM, SC, VM, ADC
(born 1947)		31 March 200731 May 20092 years, 61 days
22
Naik, PradeepAir Chief Marshal
Pradeep Vasant Naik PVSM, VSM, ADC
(born 1949)		31 May 200931 July 20112 years, 61 days
23
Browne, NormanAir Chief Marshal
Norman Anil Kumar Browne PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC
(born 1951)		31 July 201131 December 20132 years, 153 days
24
Raha, ArupAir Chief Marshal
Arup Raha PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC
(born 1954)		31 December 201331 December 20163 years, 0 days
25
Dhanoa, BirenderAir Chief Marshal
Birender Singh Dhanoa PVSM, AVSM, YSM, VM, ADC
(born 1957)		31 December 201630 September 20192 years, 273 days
26
Bhadauria, RakeshAir Chief Marshal
Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC		30 September 2019Incumbent70 days

Marshal of the Air Force

Only once has this rank ever been given:

See also

Notes
  1. Seconded from the Royal Air Force

References
  1. "Report of the 7th Central Pay Commission of India" (PDF). Seventh Central Pay Commission, Government of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  2. Biswas, Shreya, ed. (29 June 2016). "7th Pay Commission cleared: What is the Pay Commission? How does it affect salaries?". India Today. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  3. "Ex-Chiefs Gallery". Indian Air Force. Archived from the original on 3 April 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  4. @IAF_MCC (30 September 2019). "Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, took over as 26th Chief of the Indian Air Force today. He was commissioned into the fighter stream of IAF in Jun 1980" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  5. Chiefs of the Indian Air Force 1931 to 1947 Archived 2 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Chiefs of Air Staff". Bharat Rakshak. Archived from the original on 26 December 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  7. Chiefs of the Indian Air Force 1947 to Present Archived 26 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.