In the second top appointment at the Bengaluru-based Air Force Training Command this week, Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar has taken over as the Senior Air Staff Officer, an official communiqué has said.
Commissioned in the Indian Air Force in 1981 as a Flying Pilot, Air Marshal Nambiar is an Experimental Test Pilot. He served as Project Test Pilot for the Light Combat Aircraft and has the highest flying hours on the IAF’s Mirage 2000 aircraft.
He is credited with undertaking the decisive precision attack on Tiger Hill during the Kargil conflict in 1999.
His other command and staff appointments include Principal Director Offensive Operations, Director of Space Application and Commandant, Aircraft Systems Testing Establishment. He has served as the Defence Attaché to Israel, Air Officer Commanding Air Force Station, Jamnagar, Air Defence Commander of the Western Air Command and Senior Air Staff Officer of the Southern Air Command.
A computer buff and a keen basketball player, Air Marshal Nambiar was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and the Vayu Sena Medal and Bar.