KOLKATA (PTI): Air Marshal Gurcharan Singh Bedi AVSM VM VSM has taken over as Senior Air Staff Officer of Eastern Air Command (EAC) from Tuesday, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said.

Bedi was commissioned into the fighter stream of IAF in June 1984 as a fighter pilot and has a flying experience of more than 3700 hrs including operational flying on MiG 21 and Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft, an IAF statement said.

During his career, he has held numerous important appointments. He has commanded a fighter squadron and a frontline fighter base.

As an Air Vice Marshal, Bedi had held the coveted appointments of Air Officer Commanding Jammu & Kashmir, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff Ops (Offensive) and the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Personnel Officers), according to the statement.

Prior to assuming the present appointment, he was Senior Air Staff Officer, Southern Air Command.

He is an alumnus of Defence Services Staff College and National Defence College, the statement added.