Air Marshal Balakrishnan Suresh AVSM VM took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of Southern Air Command (SAC) here on Wednesday.
The new AOC-in-C, who hails from Thiruvananthapuram, is a graduate of the Rashtriya Indian Military College, Dehradun, and National Defence Academy, Kharakvasla.
He was commissioned as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force in 1980.
He is a Sword of Honour awardee from the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE), a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, and a post graduate from Cranfield University, Shrivenham, UK.
A highly experienced fighter pilot who has flown a variety of fighter aircraft and helicopters, Mr. Suresh has held a number of important staff appointments that include joint director and director (air staff Inspection), director, operations (joint planning), and assistant chief of air staff operations (air defence).
An impressive guard of honour was presented to him at the Command headquarters on his assuming office.
