Chief of the Air Staff (India)
Encyclopedia
The head of the Indian Air Force
is known as the Chief of the Air Staff (currently Air Chief Marshal
Norman Anil Kumar Browne
). The position was held by an Air Commodore
(1919-1923), by an Air Vice-Marshal
(1923-1929) and by an Air Marshal
(1929-1965). In 1965, the position was upgraded to that of an Air Chief Marshal. The highest rank in the IAF is Marshal of the Air Force
, which is conferred by the President of India only in exceptional circumstances. It has only been given once in January, 2002 to Arjan Singh
. The rank is equal to five star General and a Field Marshal
in the Army.
(On 15 August 1947, the unified RIAF was separated into the Royal Indian Air Force and the Royal Pakistan Air Force)
Air Marshal N A K Browne
replaced Naik on 31 July 2011.
Marshal of the Air Force
Only once has this rank ever been given:
Indian Air Force
The Indian Air Force is the air arm of the Indian armed forces. Its primary responsibility is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict...
is known as the Chief of the Air Staff (currently Air Chief Marshal
Air Chief Marshal
Air chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Norman Anil Kumar Browne
Norman Anil Kumar Browne
Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne, also known as "Charlie" Browne, is the current Chief of the Air Staff of the IAF, he was Vice Chief of the Air Staff until he replaced outgoing Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik on 31 July 2011...
). The position was held by an Air Commodore
Air Commodore
Air commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
(1919-1923), by an Air Vice-Marshal
Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
(1923-1929) and by an Air Marshal
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
(1929-1965). In 1965, the position was upgraded to that of an Air Chief Marshal. The highest rank in the IAF is Marshal of the Air Force
Marshal of the Air Force
Marshal of the Air Force is the English term for the most senior rank in a number of air forces. The ranks described by this term can properly be considered marshal ranks....
, which is conferred by the President of India only in exceptional circumstances. It has only been given once in January, 2002 to Arjan Singh
Arjan Singh
Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, DFC is the only officer of the Indian Air Force to be promoted to five-star rank, equal to a Field Marshal, to which he was promoted in 2002. He was born in the Punjab town of Lyallpur, British India, into a Aulakh family...
. The rank is equal to five star General and a Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
in the Army.
Air Chiefs (1919-1947)
The following list includes not only those officers who held the appointment of Chief of the Air Staff, but also the preceding commanders of the Indian Air Force.Commander, Indian Group (1919-1922)
- 1919-1922 Air CommodoreAir CommodoreAir commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
, later Air Vice-MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
Sir Tom Webb-BowenTom Webb-BowenAir Vice-Marshal Sir Tom Ince Webb-Bowen KCB, CMG, RAF was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during the first half of the 20th century.-RAF career:...
Air Officer Commanding RAF, India (1922-1938)
- 1922: Air Commodore, later Air Vice-Marshal Sir Tom Webb-BowenTom Webb-BowenAir Vice-Marshal Sir Tom Ince Webb-Bowen KCB, CMG, RAF was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during the first half of the 20th century.-RAF career:...
- 1922 - 1923 Air Vice-MarshalAir Vice-MarshalAir vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
Sir Philip GamePhilip GameAir Vice-Marshal Sir Philip Woolcott Game GCB, GCVO, GBE, KCMG, DSO was a British Royal Air Force commander, who later served as Governor of New South Wales and Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis... - 1923 - 1926 Air Vice-Marshal, later Marshal of the Royal Air ForceMarshal of the Royal Air ForceMarshal of the Royal Air Force is the highest rank in the Royal Air Force. In peacetime it was granted to RAF officers in the appointment of Chief of the Defence Staff, and to retired Chiefs of the Air Staff, who were promoted to it on their last day of service. Promotions to the rank have ceased...
Sir Edward Leonard EllingtonEdward Leonard EllingtonMarshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Edward Leonard Ellington GCB, CMG, CBE was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force... - 1926 - 1931 Air MarshalAir MarshalAir marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
, later Air Chief MarshalAir Chief MarshalAir chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Sir Geoffrey SalmondGeoffrey SalmondAir Chief Marshal Sir William Geoffrey Hanson Salmond KCB, KCMG, DSO , commonly known as Sir Geoffrey Salmond, was a senior commander in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. Remaining in the Royal Air Force after the War, he held senior appointments in the Middle East, Great Britain and India... - 1931 - 1935 Air Vice-Marshal, later Air Chief Marshal Sir John SteelJohn Miles SteelAir Chief Marshal Sir John Miles Steel GCB, KBE, CMG, RAF was a senior Royal Air Force commander.-Military career:...
- 1935 - 1937 Air Marshal, later Air Chief Marshal Sir Edgar Ludlow-HewittEdgar Ludlow-HewittAir Chief Marshal Sir Edgar Rainey Ludlow-Hewitt GCB, GBE, CMG, DSO, MC, DL was a senior Royal Air Force commander.-World War I:...
- 1937 - 1938 Air Marshal, later Air Chief Marshal Sir Philip Joubert de la FertéPhilip Joubert de la FertéAir Chief Marshal Sir Philip Bennet Joubert de la Ferté KCB, CMG, DSO was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during the 1930s and the Second World War.-RAF career:...
Air Officer Commanding Air Forces in India (1938-1945)
- 1938 - 1939 Air Marshal, later Air Chief Marshal Sir Philip Joubert de la FertéPhilip Joubert de la FertéAir Chief Marshal Sir Philip Bennet Joubert de la Ferté KCB, CMG, DSO was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during the 1930s and the Second World War.-RAF career:...
- 1939 - 1940 Air Marshal Sir John HigginsJohn Frederick Andrews HigginsAir Marshal Sir John Frederick Andrews Higgins KCB, KBE, DSO, AFC, RAF was a senior officer in the Royal Flying Corps and a senior commander in the Royal Air Force in the first half of the 20th century.-RAF career:...
- 1940 - 1942 Air Marshal Sir Patrick PlayfairPatrick PlayfairAir Marshal Sir Patrick Henry Lyon Playfair KBE CB CVO MC RAF was a commander in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I and a senior commander in the Royal Air Force until his retirement during World War II....
- 1942 - 1943 Air Marshal, later Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Pierse
- 1943 - 1944 Air Marshal, later Air Chief Marshal Sir Guy GarrodGuy GarrodAir Chief Marshal Sir Alfred Guy Roland Garrod GBE, KCB, MC, DFC was a senior British Royal Air Force officer.-RAF career:...
(Deputy Air Officer Commanding in Chief) - 1944 - 1945 Air Vice-Marshal M ThomasMeredith ThomasAir Vice-Marshal Meredith Thomas CSI, CBE, DFC, AFC RAF was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during World War II. He began his career as a flying ace during World War I, credited with five aerial victories....
Air Officer Commanding, Royal Indian Air Force (1945-1947)
- 1945-1946 Air Vice-Marshal M ThomasMeredith ThomasAir Vice-Marshal Meredith Thomas CSI, CBE, DFC, AFC RAF was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during World War II. He began his career as a flying ace during World War I, credited with five aerial victories....
- 1946 Air Marshal Sir Roderick CarrRoderick CarrAir Marshal Sir Charles Roderick Carr KBE, CB, DFC, AFC was a senior Royal Air Force commander from New Zealand. He held high command in World War II and served as Chief of the Indian Air Force.-Military career:...
- 1946 - 1947 Air Marshal Sir Hugh WalmsleyHugh WalmsleyAir Marshal Sir Hugh Sidney Porter Walmsley KCB KCIE CBE MC DFC was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during and after World War II.-RAF career:...
(Last commander of the unified RIAF before partition)
(On 15 August 1947, the unified RIAF was separated into the Royal Indian Air Force and the Royal Pakistan Air Force)
Air Officer Commanding, Royal Indian Air Force (1947-1948)
- 1947 - 1948 Air Marshal Sir ThomasElmhirst
Commander-in-Chief, Royal Indian Air Force (1948-1950)
- 1948-1950 Air Marshal Sir Thomas ElmhirstThomas ElmhirstAir Marshal Sir Thomas Walker Elmhirst KBE, CB, AFC, DL, RAF was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force in the first half of the 20th century and the first commander-in-chief of the newly independent Indian Air Force where he organised the funeral of Mahatma Gandhi following his assassination...
Commander-in-Chief, Indian Air Force (1950-1955)
- 1950 - 1951 Air Marshal, later Air Chief Marshal Sir Ronald Ivelaw-ChapmanRonald Ivelaw-ChapmanAir Chief Marshal Sir Ronald Ivelaw-Chapman GCB, KBE, DFC, AFC, RAF was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force in the middle of the 20th century and the penultimate RAF commander-in-chief of the Indian Air Force....
- 1951 - 1954 Air Marshal Sir Gerald GibbsGerald Gibbs (RAF officer)Air Marshal Sir Gerald Ernest Gibbs KBE, CIE, MC & Two Bars, RAF was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force in the first half of the 20th century and the last RAF commander-in-chief of the Indian Air Force. During World War I he scored 10 victories , becoming a double ace...
- 1954 - 1955 Air MarshalAir MarshalAir marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Subroto Mukherjee
Chief of the Air Staff (1955-present)
- 1955 - 1960 Air Marshal Subroto MukerjeeSubroto MukerjeeAir Marshal Subroto Mukerjee, OBE was the first Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force . Born in a Bengali family of repute, he was educated in India as well as England. He joined the Royal Air Force and later was one of the first recruits of the Indian Air Force...
- 1960 - 1964 Air Marshal Aspy EngineerAspy EngineerAir Marshal Aspy Merwan Engineer DFC was an officer in the Indian Air Force who rose through the ranks to become Chief of the Air Staff and later served as India's ambassador to Iran.-References:**...
- 1964 - 1969 Air Chief MarshalAir Chief MarshalAir chief marshal is a senior 4-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
, later Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan SinghArjan SinghMarshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, DFC is the only officer of the Indian Air Force to be promoted to five-star rank, equal to a Field Marshal, to which he was promoted in 2002. He was born in the Punjab town of Lyallpur, British India, into a Aulakh family... - 1969 - 1973 Air Chief Marshal Pratap Chandra LalPratap Chandra LalAir Chief Marshal Pratap Chandra Lal was the Chief of Air Staff, Indian Air Force during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971. He served in the IAF from 1939 until his retirement in 1973. He served as CO of No. 7 Squadron, AOC-in-C of Western Air Command, VCAS and Managing Director of Hindustan...
- 1973 - 1976 Air Chief Marshal Om Prakash MehraOm Prakash MehraOm Prakash Mehra was Chief of the Air Staff from 1973 to 1976 . He received Param Vishistht Sewa Medal in 1968 . He was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 1977. He later became governor of Maharashtra from 1980 to 1982 and governor of Rajasthan from 1982 to 1985.Air Chief Marshal OP Mehra was born on...
- 1976 - 1978 Air Chief Marshal Hrushikesh Moolgavkar
- 1978 - 1981 Air Chief Marshal Idris Latif
- 1981 - 1984 Air Chief Marshal Dilbagh SinghDilbagh Singh (aviator)Air Chief Marshal Dilbagh Singh was the head of the Indian Air Force from 1981 to 1984, as Chief of the Air Staff. He was the second Sikh to hold that position....
- 1984 - 1985 Air Chief Marshal Lakshman Katre
- 1985 - 1988 Air Chief Marshal Denis La FontaineDenis La FontaineAir Chief Marshall Denis Anthony La Fontaine was the Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force from 3 July 1985 to 31 July 1988. Born in Madras, La Fontaine did his schooling in Lahore and Mussoorie, joining the fledgling Indian Air Force in October 1947...
- 1988 - 1991 Air Chief Marshal Surinder Mehra
- 1991 - 1993 Air Chief Marshal Nirmal Chandra SuriNirmal Chandra SuriNirmal Chandra Suri went on to become the Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force on 1 August 1991. He is an alumnus of the famous Royal Indian Military College, Dehradun. He was a part of the First course of the Joint Services Wing, the present-day National Defence Academy, Pune...
- 1993 - 1995 Air Chief Marshal Swaroop Kaul
- 1995 - 1998 Air Chief Marshal Satish Sareen
- 1998 - 2001 Air Chief Marshal Anil Tipnis
- 2001 - 2004 Air Chief Marshal Srinivasapuram KrishnaswamySrinivasapuram KrishnaswamySrinivasapuram Krishnaswamy was the 19th Chief of Air Staff from 2001 to 2004. He is an expert on Electronic warfare, and was awarded the Agni Award for Self Reliance in August 1999 for promoting indigenous development in the Indian Armed services.-References:...
- 2004 - 2007 Air Chief Marshal Shashindra Pal TyagiShashindra Pal TyagiAir Chief Marshal Shashindra Pal Tyagi , more commonly known as S P Tyagi, is the former Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force. Prior to becoming chief of Indian Air Force, he was commanding the Western Air Command of the Air Force. He was commissioned in the fighter stream of the IAF on...
- 2007 - 2009 Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi MajorFali Homi MajorAir Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major served as the eighteenth Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force taking office on April 1, 2007, and becoming the first helicopter pilot in the service to be promoted to the office of Chief...
- 2009 - 2011 Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant NaikPradeep Vasant NaikAir Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik is the current Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force. He took office on May 31, 2009, becoming the nineteenth Chief of Air Staff following the retirement of Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major....
- 2011 - present Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar BrowneNorman Anil Kumar BrowneAir Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne, also known as "Charlie" Browne, is the current Chief of the Air Staff of the IAF, he was Vice Chief of the Air Staff until he replaced outgoing Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik on 31 July 2011...
Air Marshal N A K Browne
Norman Anil Kumar Browne
Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne, also known as "Charlie" Browne, is the current Chief of the Air Staff of the IAF, he was Vice Chief of the Air Staff until he replaced outgoing Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik on 31 July 2011...
replaced Naik on 31 July 2011.
Marshal of the Air ForceMarshal of the Air ForceMarshal of the Air Force is the English term for the most senior rank in a number of air forces. The ranks described by this term can properly be considered marshal ranks....
Only once has this rank ever been given:- Arjan SinghArjan SinghMarshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, DFC is the only officer of the Indian Air Force to be promoted to five-star rank, equal to a Field Marshal, to which he was promoted in 2002. He was born in the Punjab town of Lyallpur, British India, into a Aulakh family...
- Marshal of the Air ForceMarshal of the Air ForceMarshal of the Air Force is the English term for the most senior rank in a number of air forces. The ranks described by this term can properly be considered marshal ranks....
in January, 2002 (the highest rank ever given in the history of the Indian Air force). It is equal to a five star General a Field MarshalField MarshalField Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
in an Army.
See also
- Chief of Army Staff of the Indian ArmyChief of Army Staff of the Indian ArmyThe Chief of the Army Staff is the commander and usually the highest-ranking officer of the Indian Army. The position is abbreviated as COAS in Indian Army cables and communication....
- Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian NavyChief of Naval Staff of the Indian NavyThe Chief of the Naval Staff is the commander and typically the highest-ranking officer in the Indian Navy. The position is abbreviated CNS in Indian Navy cables and communication...
- Chief of the Air StaffChief of the Air StaffThe Chief of the Air Staff is the professional head of the Royal Air Force and a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Air Force Board. The current Chief of the Air Staff is Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton...