Air Marshal Balakrishnan Manikantan took over as Southern Air Command’s Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) on Monday. Before he got this job, he was the Senior Air Staff Officer at Eastern Air Command, where he was in charge of air operations.
Manikantan joined the Indian Air Force on June 7, 1986. He went to Sainik School in Kazhakootam and the National Defense Academy in Khadakwasla.
He is a Helicopter Combat Leader and a Type Qualified Flying Instructor. He has flown more than 5,400 hours in different kinds of helicopters and planes. He has been in charge of both a front-line helicopter unit and two of the best IAF sites.
The officer has worked as a teacher at both the National Defense Academy (NDA) and the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE). He has been Senior Air and Administrative Staff Officer (SAASO) at HQ Maintenance Command and ACIDS Int-C at HQ IDS, where he was in charge of international defense relations.
He has a PG degree from Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, an MMS from College of Defence Management in Secunderabad, and an MPhil from National Defence College in New Delhi.
The Presidential Awards Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and Vayu Sena Medal (VM) have been given to the Air Marshal.
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