Air Marshal Manavendra Singh took over as Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO), Headquarters, Southern Air Command, Thiruvananthapuram, on Thursday.
The Air Marshal was commissioned in the flying branch of Indian Air Force on 29 December 1982 as a helicopter pilot. In a career spanning 36 years, the Air Officer has flown a wide variety of helicopters and trainer aircraft.
Vast experience
He has over 6,600 hours of flying in various challenging sectors such as the Siachen, the northeast, Uttarakhand, the western desert, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is a qualified flying instructor with vast experience.
During his career, the Air Officer has held numerous important appointments. He was Station Commander, Air Force Station, Udhampur, and later served as a Director in HQ Integrated Defence Staff. He was the Commander of the IAF Peacekeeping Contingent in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, during 2009-10.
He has been Principal Director (Intelligence) at Air Headquarters and thereafter commanded the Air Force Station, New Delhi. The Air Officer has also served in the Army as well as in Tri-Service Joint Institutions. He was Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Operations) at HQ Integrated Defence Staff, Ministry of Defence, and Senior Officer-in-Charge Administration at HQ Eastern Air Command, Shillong.
Prior to his present appointment, he was Senior Air and Administrative Staff Officer at HQ Maintenance Command, Nagpur. He is an alumnus of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, Joint Forces Staff College (the US), and Army War College, Mhow. He is the recipient of three Presidential awards, namely Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Vir Chakra, and Vishisht Seva Medal.