Surendra Kumar Ghotia

Air Marshal Surendra Kumar Ghotia, PVSM, VSM is an officer in the Indian Air Force. He is currently the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), South Western Air Command. He assumed the office on 1 October 2019 following Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora's elevation to Vice Chief of the Air Staff.[2]

Air Marshal Surendra Kumar Ghotia PVSM, VSM
Allegiance	India
Service/branch	Indian Air Force
Years of service	December 1981 - Present
Rank	Air Marshal
Service number	16575[1]
Commands held	South Western Air Command Training Command
Awards	Param Vishisht Seva Medal Vishisht Seva Medal

Early life and education

Ghotia is an alumnus of National Defence Academy Khadakwasla. He has undergone Air Staff course at Defence Services Staff College Wellington as well as Higher Air Command course at College of Air Warfare Secunderabad. He holds two master's degrees.[3][4][5]

Career

Ghotia was commissioned in the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot in December 1981. He has over 3000 hours of flying experience on different aircraft. He is also a qualified instructor with instructional experience of more than 1000 hours.[6][5]

His various field appointments include commanding a fighter squadron, chief operations officer, and station commander of a forward air base in South Western Air Command. He has served in a number of staff appointments including director intelligence at Air Headquarters, staff officer of fighter operations in Western Air Command, principal director training (flying) at Air Headquarters, assistant chief of air staff (intelligence), air officer commanding of COBRA group, and air attache at embassy of India in Paris.[6][5][3]

Ghotia assumed office of Senior Air Staff Officer, Training Command on 20 June 2016 and served in that capacity till his appointment as AOC-in-C, Training Command.[6]

He served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), Training Command from 1 May 2019 succeeding Air Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, to 30 September 2019.[7][5][8][9]

Honours and decorations

During his career, Ghotia has been awarded the commendation by Air Officer Commanding-in-chief, Western Air Command in 1994, commendation by Chief of Air Staff in 1998, Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) in 2007, and Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) in January 2020 for his service.[3][1][10]

Param Vishisht Seva Medal

Vishisht Seva Medal

Personal life

He is married to Nirmala Ghotia who is President of Air Force Wives Welfare Association (Regional), and they have two daughters.[3][4]

References

1. "Republic Day gallantry and other Defence decorations". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 2008-01-25.
2. "Air Marshal SK Ghotia VSM assumed the command of SWAC". 2019-10-01.
3. "AIR MARSHAL SK GHOTIA VSM, AIR OFFICER COMMANDING-IN-CHIEF TRAINING COMMAND". Retrieved 2019-06-10.
4. "Change of Guard at IAF Training Command in Bengaluru". 2019-05-01. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
5. "Air Marshal Sk Ghotia VSM takes over command as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief training command". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 2019-05-01.
6. "Appointments, Sainik Samachar Archives". 2016-07-01. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
7. @IAF_MCC (2019-05-01). "Air Marshal SK Ghotia took over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command on 01 May 19. On taking over Command, he inspected the Guard of Honour and laid a wreath at Training Command War Memorial" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
8. @Prodef_blr (2019-09-30). "Air Marshal SK Ghotia, VSM, hands over command of Headquarters Training Command, @IAF_MCC in Bengaluru. Air Marshal Ghotia shall be taking over as Air Officer Commanding -in-Chief South Western Air Command" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
9. "Air Marshal SK Ghotia to take over as AOC-in-C South Western Air Command". 2019-09-30.
10. "Distinguished Service and Gallantry Awards to IAF Personnel on Republic Day - 2020". 2020-01-25.