Air Marshal

Ravinder Kumar Dhir

PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC
Allegiance India
Service/branch Indian Air Force
Years of service15 June 1979 – 29 September 2018
Rank Air Marshal
Service number15678
Commands heldSouth Western Air Command
Awards Param Vishisht Seva Medal
Ati Vishisht Seva Medal
Vayu Sena Medal ADC
Spouse(s)Neelam Dhir

Air Marshal Ravinder Kumar Dhir PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC is an advisor to Gujarat state for 'Defence and Aerospace Industries'.[1][2] He was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), South Western Air Command of the Indian Air Force from 1 June 2015 to 29 September 2018.[3][4] He took over from Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa and was succeeded by Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora.[5][6][7][8][9][10]

Early life and education

Dhir is an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Pune.[5] and Sainik School Kunjpura Karnal Haryana.

Career

Dhir was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on 15 June 1979. He has clocked over 3200 hours of flying on more than 25 different types of aircraft to date. He held several key operational and administrative appointments at various stages of his service including as a project test pilot in the Bison upgrade project in Russia; Commander of the first Bison Squadron "Cobras" at Ambala; Commander of a frontline operational air base; Principal Director Air Staff Requirements at Air HQ; Technical Manager (Air) at the Acquisition Wing in Ministry of Defence; Air Defence Commander at South Western Air Command; Senior Air Staff Officer at South Western Air Command and Senior Air Staff Officer at Southern Air Command. He is a Qualified Flying Instructor, an experimental test pilot, Commander of the Air Force Test Pilots School and provided input to the Tejas LCA project at Aeronautical Development Establishment.[5][6][8]

Awards and medals

During the 39 years of his career, he has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal,[11] Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (January 2012) and the Vayu Sena Medal (January 2006).[5][8][12][13][14]

Param Vishisht Seva Medal Ati Vishisht Seva Medal Vayusena Medal
Samanya Seva Medal Operation Parakram Medal Sainya Seva Medal Videsh Seva Medal
50th Anniversary of Independence Medal 30 Years Long Service Medal 20 Years Long Service Medal 9 Years Long Service Medal

Personal life

Dhir is married to Neelam Dhir, an educator, and they have two children.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Gujarat government appoints Air Marshal RK Dhir as 'advisor'". The Indian Express. 29 September 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  2. ↑ "Guj Govt appoints Air Marshal RK Dhir as adviser". 30 September 2018.
  3. ↑ "Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora takes over as new SWAC chief". 1 October 2018.
  4. ↑ "Air Marshal Arora is South-Western Commander-in-Chief". 1 October 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "SWAC: Air Marshal R K Dhir takes over as AOC-in-C". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 1 June 2015. Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Air Marshal R K Dhir takes over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of South-Western Air Command". The Economic Times. 13 September 2015. Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  7. ↑ "Press Information Bureau". Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 "Press Information Bureau". Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  9. ↑ "Be fully prepared: IAF officer to personnel". The Indian Express. 22 July 2017. Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  10. ↑ "SOUTHERN WESTERN AIR COMMAND". indianairforce.nic.in. Archived from the original on 28 March 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  11. ↑ "President's Secretariat". Archived from the original on 14 October 2017.
  12. ↑ "Press Information Bureau". Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  13. ↑ "Press Information Bureau". Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  14. ↑ "Press Information Bureau". Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
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