THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (PTI): Air Marshal J Chalapati has taken over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the Southern Air Command (SAC) in Thiruvananthapuram.

An impressive Guard of Honour was presented to the Air Marshal on taking over the Command on Sunday, a Defence release said on Monday.

Chalapati is a recipient of the Vishisht Seva medal.

Joining the National Defence Academy in 1980 after his schooling from the Hyderabad Public School, Chalapati was commissioned in the IAF in December 1983.

A Qualified Flying Instructor and an Experimental Test Pilot on various types of fighters, transports and helicopters and indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, he has experience in design, development and testing of aircraft with DRDO and Su-30 with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, where he has served as a Chief Test Pilot, the release said.

Prior to his tenure at Southern Air Command, he was Commandant of the Air Force Academy.

He has completed his National Defence Course from Bangladesh and Masters Degree in Military Studies from King's College, London.