Article Posted on : - Jul 02, 2013

NEW DELHI (BNS): Air Marshal Arup Raha took over as the new IAF vice-chief succeeding Air Marshal D C Kumaria, who retired on Sunday.

Raha, who is a front runner for the post of Air Chief after retirement of Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne in December- end, has been commanding IAF's sword-arm Western Air Command here.

Commissioned in December 1974 in the fighter stream of the IAF, he has a rich experience of over 3,400 hours of flying fighter aircraft of different types. He is an experienced Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI).

He has served as Directing Staff at Flying Instructors School, Tambaram (Tamil Nadu) as well as at the Gwalior-based Tactics and Combat Development Establishment of the IAF.

Raha has also served as the Military and Air Attach in the Embassy of India in in Ukraine from 1999 to 2001.