Vivek Ram Chaudhari

Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari, PVSM AVSM VM ADC is a retired four-star air officer of the Indian Air Force who served as the Chief of the Air Staff. He took over as the 27th Chief of Air Staff succeeding Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria on 30 September 2021. He previously served as the 45th Vice Chief of the Air Staff. He earlier served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Air Command and as the Deputy Chief of Air Staff.

Early life and education

He was born to Rambhau Ganapat Chaudhari, his mother was a school headmistress. His grandfather was a teacher at the Zila Parishad school at Koli, a village in Hadgaon taluka. He studied in primary school at Nanded. He subsequently moved to Pune and enrolled in a military school. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (61st Course), the Air Force Academy and the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington (DSSC).

Career

Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari was commissioned in the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot on 29 December 1982 from the Air Force Academy, Dundigal. During his illustrious career spanning over four decades, he has held various staff and instructional appointments and served in a wide spectrum of terrain. He is a Category 'A' qualified flying instructor, and Instrument Rating Instructor and examiner. He has a flying experience of over 3800 hours on various fighter aircraft including MiG-21, MiG-23MF, MiG-29 and Su-30MKI. He was also a pioneer member of the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Display Team. As a fighter pilot, he flew operational missions during Operation Meghdoot and Operation Safed Sagar. He has commanded the MiG-29 squadron, No. 28 Squadron IAF at Jamnagar and the forward base in Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir. He also served as the chief operations officer of the Srinagar Air Force Station.

Flag officer

As an Air commodore, he served as the Air assistant to the then Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik. He subsequently commanded the Lohegaon Air base in Pune. He has also served as an instructor at DSSC Wellington as well as Defence Services Command and Staff College at Lusaka, Zambia.

After promotion to Air Vice Marshal, he served as the Assistant Chief of Air Staff Operations (Air Defence) at Air headquarters and as the Deputy Commandant at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal. He subsequently was appointed the Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Personnel Officers). On 2 October 2018 he took over as the Deputy Chief of Air Staff at Air Headquarters, New Delhi. A year later, on 1 October 2019 he was appointed as Senior Air Staff Officer of the Eastern Air Command in Shillong.

On 1 August 2020, he took over as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Air Command succeeding Air Marshal Balakrishnan Suresh. A year later, on 1 July 2021 he took over as the 45th Vice Chief of the Air Staff succeeding Air Marshal Harjit Singh Arora who superannuated from service on 30 June 2021.

Chief of Air Staff

On 21 September 2021, the Government of India appointed Air Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari as the next Chief of the Air Staff. On 30 September 2021, he took over as the 27th Chief of the Air Staff succeeding Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria. He retired on 30 September 2024 after four decades of service and was succeeded by Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh.

Honours and decorations

During his career, he has been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal in 2004, the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2015 and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2021 for his service.

Personal life

He is married to Neeta Chaudhari. They have two sons. His son Mihir Chaudhary is also an officer in Indian Air Force.

Dates of rank